A longitudinal study of the impact of changing public policy on community mental health client residential patterns and staff attitudes.

Three studies of perceived residential needs and community residential patterns of adults with severe and persistent mental illness over a period of 12 years are used to assess the effect of changing public policy in this area. During a period in which public policy shifted from advocacy of congregate living in treatment settings to independent living in generic community housing, there were significant changes in community residential patterns and in the attitudes of case managers. Clinical and demographic data collected in the most recent survey provides a much more complete profile of the community living situation of adults with severe and persistent mental illness than was previously available.