Comparison of Outcomes for Clients Seeking and Assigned to Supported Housing Services

Seriously disabled psychiatric patients who had been involuntarily hospitalized twice in the previous 3 years were assigned to receive supported housing services in an Oregon community. Compared with 22 voluntary clients in the same program, the 21 involuntary clients rated higher on risk factors such as history of suicide attempts, self-neglect & homelessness. In the 6 months after program entry, involuntary patients used substantially fewer inpatient days than in the 6 months prior to entry.