The Day Hospital as Entry Point to a Network of Long-Term Services: A Program Evaluation
Jane S. Ferber M.D.1,
Marilyn Oswald M.S.W.2,
Myrna Rubin M.S.W.3,
Jane Ungemack M.P.H.4, and
Murray Schane M.D.5
1 The Bronx Psychiatric Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, The Bronx
2 New York Medical College in Valhalla, New York
3 The Bronx Psychiatric Center
4 The School of Public Health of Columbia University, Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center in Wingdale, New York
5 Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens, New York, The Department of Education and Training of the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center
55 Wildcliff Road, New Rochelle, New York 10805
One hundred twenty-six admissions to a time-limited day hospital program were studied to obtain evaluative and descriptive information about the program and its patients. Patients most likely to complete the program were older, lived with their families, had intermediate amounts of prior inpatient admissions, and had no arrest record. Among all study patients admitted to the day hospital (dropouts as well as graduates), 62 percent were still participating in at least one long-term treatment and rehabilitation program of the parent community mental health service six months after they left the day hospital. This high retention rate appears to result from the day hospital's focus as the entry point to a large and flexible network of long-term services in the same location and with familiar staff.
Note:
The authors thank Dr. Margery Brayen of the Harlem Valley Psychiatric Center for help in the research development and data analysis and the Huguenot Center administration and staff for their cooperation.
