County mental health directors' evaluation of a statewide intensive case management program: the New York State experience.

Case management is increasingly recommended as part of an overall strategy for serving individuals with severe mental illness. The New York State Office of Mental Health developed such a program in 1988, with county mental health directors the key players in its development and operationalization. This article reports the results of a statewide survey administered by the authors to these directors 3 1/2 years after the program's implementation to determine its degree of success. Overall, the program was viewed as effective for individual clients, particularly those most in need of services. However, with respect to overall systems change, there was more variability in results. In general, a combination of strategies to reduce fragmentation within the mental health system and increase collaboration between service providers should be considered by state mental health authorities.