Poor quality of care may contribute to impaired health status and increased mortality in individuals with serious mental disorders and substance abuse problems; interventions designed to improve medical care for this population need to be developed. This study will develop a population-based medical case management model for improving the primary medical care of patients at an inner city community mental health center.
This study will last 2 years. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive medical case management or standard of care (typically drug and behavioral therapy) for 2 years. Participants in the case management group will receive help in overcoming barriers to receiving primary care. Participants will also undergo 5 interviews over the 2-year study duration, and have annual chart reviews. Results of the interviews will be used to assess quality of primary care, service use, health outcomes, psychiatric symptoms, and substance use.
