Changes to Mental Healthcare for Working age Adults: Impact of a Crisis Team and an Assertive Outreach Team

Changes to admissions, compulsory detentions, diagnosis, length of stay, & suicides following the introduction of crisis resolution home treatment & assertive outreach teams were investigated. There was a 45% reduction in admissions with an increase in the median length of stay from 15.5 to 25 days. Bed occupancy fell by 22%. The number of suicides remained constant. The impact of introducing these services differed according to gender (reduction among females in bed occupancy). This & the increased length of stay need to be considered when determining the number of acute psychiatric beds needed. (13 refs.)