Evaluation of a Comprehensive Community Rehabilitation Program

This paper examined the outcome of a comprehensive community rehabilitation program (CRP) for long-term psychiatric clients 20 months after its implementation in a semi-rural area of Nova Scotia. Clients in the program (N = 18) were offered a number of psychosocial rehabilitative services, while clients in the comparison group (N = 18) were provided the regular depot clinic services. Reviews of the service at 8 and 20 months indicated that CRP clients had made moderate to significant progress in the achievement of their short-term goals, were able to improve their functional and coping abilities, and sought fewer and shorter inpatient admissions. In addition, they made fewer non-psychiatric outpatient visits than clients in the comparison group. The community rehabilitation program included a wide range of services, and its positive impact was far greater than the limited aftercare service delivered in the standard system.