[Evaluation of a residential care and supported housing program in the regional association of Westphalia-Lippe]

Abstract

Objective: During the deinstitutionalisation of psychiatric care in Germany, new psychiatric care approaches have been developed, which have been rarely scientifically evaluated. This study aims at evaluating the residential care and supported housing program of a public service in Westphalia, Northwestern Germany.

Methods: Data on 1486 clients about sociodemographics, individual biographies, housing, social integration and perspective of care were collected by staff. Individual interviews on the clients' quality of life were conducted with 941 subjects.

Results: The residential care and supported housing program clients are chronically mentally ill and disabled. Clients from the supported housing sector have a much more favorable biographical and social background compared to those from residential care. Integration into the regular workforce does usually not happen. Clients from the residential care sector have only few social contacts outside their institution. The quality of life assessment revealed no differences between the settings.

Conclusions: More external social contacts should be provided especially for the residential care clients. Motivational interventions might enhance the clients' social inclusion further.