Trends in siting strategies

The ethics and efficacy of notifying neighbors in advance of the establishment of group housing for the chronically mentally ill has generated much controversy, and recent federal anti-discrimination legislation has supported its discontinuation. In this study, representatives from 72 Massachusetts mental health agencies were interviewed regarding the siting strategies used in their most recent group housing development, and the community responses to that site. A majority of agencies were found to have used advance notification, and there was a significant association between notifying neighbors and community opposition. Agencies using advance notification were also significantly more likely to initiate post-siting community outreach activities.