Aftercare for alcoholics: services of community mental health centers.

Abstract

Of 395 Kentucky [USA] residents who received alcoholism treatment in a state hospital and were followed up for 2-3 yr, 47.8% received some aftercare from a community mental health center. Most of these patients were under the care of a center for only a few weeks (median, 12 days), and the median number of aftercare visits was 6. Of the patients, 2/3 received individual therapy, but group therapy was the only type of service a patient was likely to receive more than 3 times. Psychiatrists, nurses and mental health workers treated more alcoholics than did social workers and psychologists. Variables significantly related to receipt of aftercare included number of previous hospitalizations and referral to the hospital by self or family rather than by a court. The 158 patients rehospitalized in Kentucky state hospitals during the follow-up period were more likely to be men with a long previous hospitalization, a larger number of previous hospitalizations and some aftercare than those not re-admitted.