Award Date

1-1-1977

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education

Number of Pages

114

Abstract

A modified institutional cycle design was used for the evaluation of the impact on productivity and client services of a change from a waiting list to a group intake procedure. Subjects were 837 callers requesting outpatient services including individual, group and family or marital counseling in a decentralized, state-funded community mental health center; Key contrasts comparing cross-sectional and longitudinal differences between two sites, which began group intake at different times, and a third site which continued a waiting list, were observed for three indices of agency productivity and two indices of client service. A comparison was also made between the costs to the agency of group intake versus a waiting list. Clients' return rate and progress in treatment were tentatively explored at one site as a check for harmful effects; The results of this "user-focused" study favored group intake over waiting lists in agency productivity as measured by the ratio of contact hours relative to scheduled hours, the ratio of reimbursable hours relative to scheduled hours and the ratio of number of people seen for intake relative to hours scheduled for intake. The percent of telephone calls resulting in attendance at intake and the average number of days between telephone contact and first treatment appointment showed that group intake improved service to clients compared to waiting list results; Additional findings supported the feasibility and desirability of group intake for the agency studied. Group intake resulted in a savings in costs to the agency due to a reduction in missed first appointments. Tentative findings on clients' return rates suggested that a larger proportion of clients entering through group intake remained in treatment ten or more sessions, compared to the previous year. No harmful effects of group intake were indicated by an examination of progress ratings before and after group intake at one site.

Keywords

Community; Delivery; Effects; Group; Health; Intake; Mental; Procedures; Productivity; Services; Setting

Controlled Subject

Clinical psychology

File Format

pdf

File Size

3942.4 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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