Characterizing those in mental health treatment: The planner's perspective

A hierarchical classification scheme intended to categorize patients receiving mental health services into groupings useful for planning purposes is presented. A patient in treatment is assigned one of four levels jointly defined by an assessment of the patient's current level of disability and expected long-term service requirements. To illustrate the operationalization of the scheme, using data collected as part of a one week survey of patients in treatment in the New York State mental health service system in 1985, patients are classified on long-term residency, probable source of funding for service received in the week (used as a surrogate measure of level of disability) and diagnoses. Several applications of the scheme are given including crossregional comparisons of service systems and examining service use of targeted minority and age subgroups.