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The effectiveness of a new model, "total in-community treatment," was evaluated on a group of patients considered still in need of hospital care. They were randomly assigned to one experimental and two control groups. Experimental patients, regardless of symptomatology, were discharged and treated "on the spot" in their neighborhoods. Controls received progressive inhospital treatment. Results indicated that not only was it feasible to treat the experimental group in the community, but following treatment these patients had attained more autonomous living and employment situations than controls. These results point to a successful alternative to institutional treatment, particularly in terms of enhancing patients' social adjustment.
Arnold J. Marx (Mon,) studied this question.