Paper
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Evaluation of a Community Care Program for Mentally Ill Homeless Veterans
Stuart Berger, RN, MSN, CS, Nursing, Nursing, Department of Veterans' Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| Learning Objective #1: Describe two problems specific to individuals who served in the military and are currently homeless |
| Learning Objective #2: Describe two ways in which a community-based program improves the lives of homeless veterans |
Purpose:To determine the effectiveness of the Transitional Community Care (TCC) program. Objectives: 1) to improve the life of mentally ill, homeless veterans; 2) to establish a link between the VA and homeless veterans with mental health and/or substance abuse problems; 3) to engage patients in treatment. Background and significance:The mission of the TCC program is to provide time-limited community-based case management for homeless veterans who, because of psychiatric illness, require linkage to treatment. Individualized care planning to address the biopsychosocial needs is paramount. Two housing options exist: a bed at a local shelter or a room at a hotel. Staff meets with patients at least weekly to address current issues/needs and provide counseling. Methods:A questionnaire is supplied one week prior to discharge. Patients are asked to compare the kinds of problems they had when entering the program and at completion. The questions involve checklist and fill-in responses. Results:From 116 surveys returned, qualitative responses were categorized by themes. The response rate has been about 75% and is ongoing. The three main problems identified: survival needs, mental health and physical health concerns. Most responded that their life has improved by being in the program, due to a decrease in psychiatric symptoms and having hope for the future. Suggestions for improvement included: increased length of stay and increased funding to combat homelessness. Conclusions and impact on quality care:This study has revealed that patients see their lives as improved and that they value the one to one relationship with their case manager. Practice changes, based on suggestions include: support groups in the shelters. Evaluation is ongoing and will include hospital resource utilization.
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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 21, 2004