A Perspective on Voluntary and Involuntary Outreach Services for the Homeless Mentally Ill

In continuing efforts to address the public health concerns and reduce suffering of individuals who are homeless and mentally ill. New York City provides an array of services constituting a continuum of care that begins with outreach teams on the streets and ends with permanent supportive housing. In spite of the existence of these services, thousands of individuals with psychiatric disabilities are still on the streets. This chapter examines the clinical assumptions of the system, analyzes the barriers to services from the clients' perspective, reports on the effectiveness of involuntary psychiatric outreach interventions intended for clients who are uncooperative or in life-threatening situations and offers an example of a model program for this population.

Publication Date: 
1999
Pages: 
9-19
Volume: 
18
Journal Name: 
New Directions for Mental Health Service