Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify components of cultural competence in mental health programs developed for cultural groups by community and mental health professionals from these groups. METHODS: Three programs were studied: a prevention program primarily serving African-American and Afro-Caribbean youth, a Latino adult acute inpatient unit, and a Chinese day treatment program in a community-based agency. Nine study-trained field researchers used a semistructured instrument that captures program genealogy, structure, processes, and cultural infusion. Program cultural elements were identified from field notes and from individual and group interviews of consumers and staff (N=104). A research-group consensus process with feedback from program staff was used to group elements by shared characteristics into the program components of cultural competence. RESULTS: Components included communication competencies (with use of colloquialisms and accepted forms of address); staff in culturally acceptable roles; culturally framed trust building (such as pairing youths with mentors), stigma reduction, friendly milieus (such as serving culturally familiar foods and playing music popular with the culture), and services; and peer, family, and community involvement (including use of peer counselors and mentors, hosting parent weekends, and linking clients with senior center and community services). CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating these components into any program in which underserved cultural populations are seen is recommended for improving cultural competence.

The NKI Cultural Competency Assessment Scale measures organizational CC in mental health outpatient settings. We describe its development and results of tests of its psychometric properties. When tested in 27 public mental health settings, factor analysis discerned three factors explaining 65% of the variance; each factor related to a stage of implementation of CC. Construct validity and inter-rater reliability were satisfactory. In tests of predictive validity, higher scores on items related to linguistic and service accommodations predicted a reduction in service disparities for engagement and retention outcomes for Hispanics. Disparities for Blacks essentially persisted independent of CC scores

There is considerable public concern about health disparities among different cultural/racial/ethnic groups. Important process measures that might reflect inequities are treated prevalence and the service utilization rate in a defined period of time. We have previously described a method for estimating N, the distinct number who received service in a year, from a survey of service users at a single point in time. The estimator is based on the random variable 'time since last service', which enables the estimation of treated prevalence. We show that this same data can be used to estimate the service utilization rate, E(J), the mean number of services in the year. If the sample is typical with respect to the time since last visit, the MLE of E(J) is asymptotically unbiased. Confidence intervals and a global test of equality of treated prevalence and service utilization rates among several groups are given. A data set of outpatient mental health services from a county in New York State for which the true values of the parameters are known is analyzed as an illustration of the methods and an appraisal of their accuracy

OBJECTIVE: The 2003 Medicare Modernization Act shifted medication coverage from Medicaid to Medicare for persons dually eligible for both programs. This study examined the extent to which access to psychiatric and concomitant medications was reduced for dually eligible individuals in New York State. It also examined the extent to which consumer copayments and state costs were changed when the act was implemented in 2006. METHODS: Data were from psychiatric medication Medicaid claims in 2002 for the 36,842 dually eligible adults with severe mental illness and from the 2006 formulary data of New York State's 15 prescription drug plans available after the Medicare Modernization Act was implemented. The study simulated how dually eligible persons in New York State would fare under the plans' random and best-fit enrollment scenarios, taking into account the additional coverage provided by New York State's 2006 safety net policy. RESULTS: Implementation of the Medication Modernization Act reduced drug availability and increased usage restrictions. A study-defined generosity measure estimated a 51%+/-19% reduction in access. Dually eligible individuals with depression experienced the largest treatment gap. Cost changes to the state were essentially budget neutral, primarily because of the required claw-back payment. Consumer copayments increased percentage-wise, but actual dollar amounts remained small; increases were higher under best-fit enrollment compared with random enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: Without a generous safety net policy, dually eligible beneficiaries, especially those with depression, are likely to experience large gaps in their medication coverage and somewhat higher out-of-pocket costs. Treatment gaps were somewhat reduced by placement in best-fit plans, and such placement resulted in no added financial burden to the state. However, this resulted in higher consumer copayments--payments that are small in the actual dollar amount but that might have an impact on spending and on medication access for a largely poor consumer group

CONTEXT: Previous work has demonstrated marked changes in inpatient mental health service use by children and adolescents in the 1980s and early 1990s, but more recent, comprehensive, nationally representative data have not been reported. OBJECTIVE: To describe trends in inpatient treatment of children and adolescents with mental disorders between 1990 and 2000. DESIGN AND SETTING: Analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a nationally representative sample of discharges from US community hospitals sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. PATIENTS: Patients aged 17 years and younger discharged from US community hospitals with a principal diagnosis of a mental disorder. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in the number and population-based rate of discharges, total inpatient days and average length of stay, charges, diagnoses, dispositions, and patient demographic and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: Although the total number of discharges, population-based discharge rate, and daily charges did not significantly change between 1990 and 2000, the total number of inpatient days and mean charges per visit each fell by approximately one half. Median length of stay declined 63% over the decade from 12.2 days to 4.5 days. Declines in median and mean lengths of stay were observed for most diagnostic categories and remained significant after controlling for changes in background patient and hospital characteristics. Discharge rates for psychotic and mood disorders as well as intentional self-injuries increased while rates for adjustment disorders fell. Discharges to short-term, nursing, and other inpatient facilities declined. CONCLUSIONS: The period between 1990 and 2000 was characterized by a transformation in the length of inpatient mental health treatment for young people. Community hospitals evaluated, treated, and discharged mentally ill children and adolescents far more quickly than 10 years earlier despite higher apparent rates of serious illness and self-harm and fewer transfers to intermediate and inpatient care

OBJECTIVE: This study examined whether outcomes in housing, clinical status, and well-being of persons with severe mental illness and a history of homelessness differ between those in supported housing and those in community residences, two housing arrangements that substantially differ in the level of independence that is offered to its tenants. METHODS: A quasi-experimental 18-month follow-up study was conducted with 157 persons newly entering supported housing and community residences. The housing models accepted persons with similar illness characteristics and homelessness histories, so that the inability to randomly assign tenants to housing types could be compensated for by propensity scoring methods. Tenure in housing was examined by using survival models. Analyses of other outcomes used hierarchical linear and regression models in both intent-to-treat (N=139) and true-stayer (N=80) analyses. RESULTS: Tenure in housing did not differ by housing type. Substantial proportions of tenants in both models remained housed during the follow-up period. Tenants in supported housing reported greater housing satisfaction in terms of autonomy and economic viability. Over time some tenants in supported housing reported greater feelings of isolation. Independent of housing type, symptoms of depression or anxiety at housing entry increased the risk of poorer outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The models of supported housing were viable portals of entry into community housing for homeless persons, even for consumers with characteristics indicating that they would have been more likely to be placed in community residences. The results suggest that greater clinical attention should be paid to persons who exhibit depression or anxiety when entering housing

OBJECTIVES: We sought to estimate the extended mental health service capacity requirements of persons affected by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. METHODS: We developed a formula to estimate the extended mental health service capacity requirements following disaster situations and assessed availability of the information required by the formula. RESULTS: Sparse data exist on current services and supports used by people with mental health problems outside of the formal mental health specialty sector. There also are few systematically collected data on mental health sequelae of disasters. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend research-based surveys to understand service usage in non-mental health settings and suggest that federal guidelines be established to promote uniform data collection of a core set of items in studies carried out after disasters

BACKGROUND: The September 11th disaster in New York City resulted in an increase in mental health service delivery as a vast network of providers responded to the urgent needs of those impacted by the tragedy. Estimates of current capacity, potential additional capacity to deliver services and of potential shortfall within the mental health sector are needed pieces of information for planning the responses to future disasters. AIMS OF THE STUDY: Using New York State data, to determine the distribution of clinical service delivery rates among programs and to examine an explanatory model of observed variation; to estimate potential additional capacity in the mental health sector; and to estimate shortfall based on this capacity and data from studies on the need and use of services post September 11th METHODS: Empirical distributions of weekly clinical service delivery rates in programs likely to be used by persons with post disaster mental health problems were obtained from available data. Three regression models were fit to explain rate variation in terms of unmodifiable program characteristics likely to impact the rates. We argue that rates could not be easily increased if any of the models had good explanatory power, and could be increased if it did not. All models had poor fit. We then assumed that the median and 75th percentile of the clinical service delivery rates were candidates for the minimum production capability of a clinician. The service rates of those clinicians whose rates fell below these quartiles were increased to the quartile value to yield estimates of potential additional capacity. These were used along with data on clinical need to estimate shortfall. RESULTS: There is substantial variation in clinical service delivery rates within impact regions and among programs serving different age populations. The estimate of the percent increase in services overall based on the median is 12% and based on the 75th percentile is 27%. Using an estimate of need of.03 suggested by available data, and a range of services (1-10) that might be required in a six month period, shortfall estimates based on the median ranged between 22-92% and for the 75th percentile from no shortfall to 86%. A less conservative estimate of need of.05 produces median shortfall ranging between 59-96% and for the 75th percentile between 10-91%. LIMITATIONS: While the program descriptor variables used in the explanatory model of rates were those most likely to impact rates, explanatory power of the model might have increased if other characteristics that are not modifiable had been included. In this case, the assumption that service production can be increased is called into question. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION AND USE: In the first six months post September 11th, in New York State (NYS) 250,000 persons received crisis counseling through Project Liberty. In 1999, NYS served approximately that same number in mental health clinic programs during the entire year. The estimates of this study suggest that additional funding and personnel are needed to provide mental health services in the event of a major disaster. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICIES: A disaster plan is needed to coordinate the use of current and additional personnel including mental health resources from other sources and sectors