Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation Treatment (IPRT): an overview of a new program

Intensive Psychiatric Rehabilitation Treatment (IPRT) is a new program of out-patient psychiatric rehabilitation which is currently operating in New York State and Iowa. IPRT is based upon a process of psychiatric rehabilitation which was developed at the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation. The purpose of IPRT is to assist individuals with serious and persistent mental illness in identifying and achieving personally meaningful goals within the community. This article will provide an overview of IPRT by examining the program as it operates in New York State, the research foundations of the program, and the preliminary results of a state-wide evaluation of IPRT programs. IPRT is an important new program of outpatient psychiatric rehabilitation. Controlled studies are needed to establish the effectiveness of the program.