BEING "SEEN BUT NOT ADMITTED": A Note on Some Neglected Aspects of State Hospital Deinstitutionalization

Attention is called to a significant though relatively unexamined consequence of state mental hospital deinstitutionalization policies, viz, that many voluntary applicants are now being refused admission & referred elsewhere. This "seen but not admitted" phenomenon is illustrated with data on the admission/nonadmission outcomes of voluntary applicants at Worcester State Hospital, Mass. Over the period 1969-1976, this hospital experienced a rapid phase-down of its resident patient census; concomitantly, the number of persons seen but not admitted nearly doubled. Evidence from other states suggests that this is not an isolated occurrence. A framework is presented for further research focused on the decision criteria employed in the admissions process & the subsequent fates of nonadmitted persons. Such research should have broad policy relevance for the design & evaluation of mental health services in the years ahead. 1 Table. Modified AA.