The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

3322.0: Monday, November 11, 2002 - Board 6

Abstract #45857

Findings on the Impact of a Sub-Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Program on a System of Care

Mary I. Armstrong, MSW, MBA, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Univeristy of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Lutz, FL 33549, 813 974-4601, armstron@fmhi.usf.edu and Kathleen A. Dailey, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, 13301 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612.

In the spring of 1999 the State of Florida implemented SIPP (Sub-Acute Inpatient Psychiatric Program), an alternative sub-acute treatment program for clinically eligible children under the age of 18 who are high utilizers of inpatient psychiatric services. The evaluation was designed to describe the impact of the SIPP model on post-discharge treatment patterns by comparing the post-discharge patterns of care and costs of SIPP enrollees with a comparable sample of high –risk youth statewide that were discharged from a general hospital inpatient psychiatric program in terms of their: · Rates of psychiatric inpatient readmission · Inpatient lengths of stay · Patterns of post-discharge service utilization · Cost of post-discharge services An analysis of Medicaid claims data for SIPP enrollees at two SIPP sites and for a matched comparison group of similar youth who were high utilizers of inpatient mental health services statewide was conducted to address the evaluation questions. The 69 SIPP enrollees were matched on demographic and diagnostic information to 69 individuals from a statewide group of 1727 clinically eligible, high-risk children who were high utilizers of inpatient psychiatric services. Comparisons focused on patterns of inpatient readmissions and length of stay, service utilization patterns, and cost patterns within follow-up intervals of comparable length. In summary, the findings of this study indicate that the SIPP program met its goals of providing an alternative sub-acute inpatient program and reducing utilization of inpatient care in general hospitals.

Learning Objectives:

  • At the end of this session, participants will

    Keywords: Child/Adolescent Mental Health,

    Presenting author's disclosure statement:
    I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

    Mental Health Posters I: Services for Children and Families

    The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA