The National Council for Behavorial Healthcare

Business & Practice Areas: Schizophrenia: Advancing Care

Advancing Standards of Care for People with Schizophrenia
A National Council Quality Improvement Project
 

About the Program

The Advancing Standards of Care for People with Schizophrenia program, spearheaded by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, was administered at 10 community behavioral health organizations across the country in 2011. The program significantly improved communication, social interaction and coping skills for persons recovering from schizophrenia.

This program represents a true step forward for people with schizophrenia and and schizoaffective disorder and the heatlhcare organizations that care for these people.

The program revolved around two evidence-based tools: Wellness Self Management, a group curriculum to help adults better understand and self-manage their mental health condition; and DLA-20, a functional assessment tool, which tracks a person’s ability to independently carry out everyday tasks. The tools encourage participants to take control of their mental illness, discuss it with others, and monitor progress.

Healthcare providers that participated in the program said that the measurement tool gave them accurate and reliable data that supported increased transparency and accountability. The program’s success holds great potential for replication.

Key Results

  • The 10 pilot sites started with a total of 5,687 clients in December, 2010.
  • The average age of participants was 45.7 years, many of whom had already been in treatment for years
  • 20% of participants scored an “inability to function in all areas” on the pre-interventional functional assessment
  • 50% of participants scored “major impairment” in at least five critical areas of functioning in daily activities
  • The average cumulative functional score from all participants rose from an initial 37.76 to 41.07 over the course of six months.
  • Overall, there was a statistically significant gain in three sub-scales: communications, interaction with one’s social network, and coping skills.
  • There was an overall attrition rate of 48%, consistent with community based treatment protocols.

This program was made possible through a grant from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Pilot Program Participants

AltaPointe Health Systems, Inc. - Mobile, AL

AtlantiCare Behavioral Health - Egg Harbor Township, NJ

Cobb & Douglas Community Services Board - Smyrna, GA

Family Guidance Center for Behavioral Healthcare - Saint Joseph, MO

Gallahue Mental Health Services- Indianapolis, IN

Hill Country Community MHMR Center - Kerrville, TX

Mental Health Centers of Central Illinois - Springfield, IL

Seminole Behavioral Healthcare - Fern Park, FL

Spokane Mental Health - Spokane, WA

Recovery Resources - Cleveland, OH

Resources

In the News: Pilot Program Launch
 

For more information on National Council Quality Improvement Programs, email Laira Kolkin at LairaK@thenationalcouncil.org.
 

 
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Advancing Standards of Care for People with Schizophrenia: See the pilot program report for outcomes, case studies, and consumer and practitioner profiles.

“I learned valuable life skills, how to stay healthy, manage my anger, and prevent a relapse.” Christopher, AltaPointe Health Systems, Mobile, Alabama

For case studies and consumer profiles, see the full report on the Advancing Standards of Care for People with Schizophrenia pilot program.

 
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