OUTPATIENT GROUPS FOR CHRONIC PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

Long-term support groups have been utilized at the University of Alberta Hospitals since 1977 in order to meet the needs of chronic psychiatric patients who are unwilling or unable to commit to insightoriented therapy. These groups meet once weekly for one hour and are intended to be drop-in groups, which patients can use regularly or only while in crisis. It is hypothesized that the institution or style of therapy practiced at an institution, rather than the specific therapists, provides a source of stability and support to these patients. Our experience suggests these groups are beneficial and cost-efficient, but research is necesssary to evaluate them to determine components of therapeutic effectiveness.