Alternative to the hospital: a controlled study.

The authors describe the evaluation of a treatment model that makes use of the community to help mentally ill patients acquire necessary coping skills. This approach is based on the assumption that deficiency in coping skills and aggressive dependency are primarily responsible for high readmission rates to mental hospitals and that coping skills and autonomy are best learned in the community, where the patient will be needing and using them. The treatment model is evaluated by comparing it with progressive in-hospital treatment and follow-up care. The results suggest that the model described can successfully treat patients with a high level of symptomatology in the community rather than in the mental hospital.