Reducing state hospitalizations through a community screening program.

The role of State hospitals has been limited to admitting persons, and then performing elaborate assessments, treatment interventions, and aftercare planning on an inpatient basis. Because of the division of roles and often physical distance from local communities, State hospitals have had limited ability to reinforce community treatment as a means to prevent re-admissions. This paper describes "Pre-Admission Screening" and "Admission Coordination", two programs initiated by a community mental health center, designed to maintain persons in the community through intensive evaluation, crisis intervention, and treatment planning on an outpatient basis.