Wellspring

Healing for Persons in a Psychiatric Crisis

Jun 14, 2004

Wellspring?’s Crisis Stabilization Unit was the first residential, community based crisis unit developed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and is this region?’s only such program. The unique program design combines the normal environment of a home-like setting with onsite clinically trained social workers and a psychiatrist. The program?’s psychiatrist is an employee of Seven Counties Services, thereby insuring the continuity of care for our clients within the broader mental health system. With the facility expansion completed in October, 2003, it is now an eight bed program with handicapped accessibility.

An overview of those persons served by the CSU:

A review of the outcomes for the Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) demonstrates a remarkable level of success for those served in calendar year 2003.
?• We served 222 people with an average length of stay of 8.5 days
?• Diagnosis: 74% of those served were diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness (SMI). Almost half (42%) had a co-occurring substance abuse disorder and slightly more than half (53%) had a personality disorder (usually secondary to an Axis I SMI diagnosis)
?• 21% were homeless at admission
?• Referral Sources: 47% were referred from Seven Counties Services (SCS) and 43% came from Emergency Psychiatric Services (EPS) at the Emergency Room at University of Louisville Hospital. A large number of those served were headed towards an inpatient hospitalization were there not an adult CSU in our community

Highlights of client outcomes for 2003:

?• 85% achieved the treatment goals they established at admission
?• 84% experienced a 20% or greater decrease in psychiatric symptoms from admission to discharge (96% had some positive change)
?• 97% avoided hospitalizations
?• 96% of people reporting depression on admission reported an elevation in mood by discharge, with 67% reporting improved mood within 48 hours
?• 61% reported a decrease in suicidal thoughts in 48 hours

Of these outcomes, we are especially proud of the number of people who had such significant reduction in the symptoms of their illnesses. Our clinical staff is trained to use the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) to assess symptoms on admission and at discharge. These two scores are then compared to determine whether change has occurred. Twenty percent improvement is what many hospitals use to indicate level of significance. We are extremely pleased that 84% of our clients achieved at least a 20% improvement while at the CSU, and that 96% demonstrated some level of improvement. This year only three percent of people required hospitalization from the CSU: the lowest rate in our nine year history.

We believe that our outcomes demonstrate that the CSU is achieving its mission and is truly making a difference in the lives of the people we serve.