Statewide mental health outcome evaluation: a perspective of two southern states

The states of Georgia and Tennessee implemented statewide outcome assessment programs in a number of their community mental health programs. Georgia used a Role Functioning Scale which was developed for this purpose. The system was implemented statewide and tied to quality assurance. Tennessee used the Quality of Life Questionnaire and the Program Impact Monitoring System developed in Oregon and implemented the system on a volunteer basis in six community programs. Both systems had some successes and encountered some difficulties which are described. Fiscal constraints have curtailed both systems, but suggestions are made for statewide outcome assessment projects based on these experiences.