Is case management effective for people with serious mental illness? A research review.

Recent literature on caring for people with serious mental illnesses reflects a growing belief in the effectiveness of case management services for this population. This article reviews recent outcome studies on case management to assess the extent to which prevailing claims that it is effective are supported empirically. Based on this review, the author concludes that the hypothesis that case management is effective remains plausible, but conclusive claims that its efficacy has been empirically demonstrated are premature. The outcome studies reflect diversity and ambiguity in the ways case management is conceptualized and implemented, problems in the research methodologies employed, and inconsistencies in outcomes. Consequently, implications for further research are drawn.