[Crisis Homes for adult psychiatric patients. The first experiences from Denmark].
INTRODUCTION: A Crisis Home programme inspired by the principles of the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model in U.S. psychiatry, in which adult psychiatric patients, as an alternative to admission to hospital, spend some time in a private family has been implemented at the Community Mental Health (CMH) Centre in Tonder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Procedures and schedules from the Crisis Home programme, Madison, were analysed. Data obtained at the start and end of each patient's stay were supplemented with register data on the consumption of mental hospital benefits. Qualitative data were obtained through focus group interviews. RESULTS: From 1 July 2001 to 30 June 2003, 41 patients made a total of 96 stays in a Crisis Home. Eight of the patients made more than 3 stays. Seventeen (41.5%) of the patients were attached to the CMH Centre's ACT team. These patients accounted for 43.8% of the stays. The average duration of the stays was 4.4 days. The number of patient readmissions after the first stay in a Crisis Home showed a downward tendency. The patients, the Crisis Home families and the associated professionals were all very satisfied with the programme. DISCUSSION: The possibility to stay in a Crisis Home has the potential to ameliorate the condition and reduce the risk of readmission of patients suffering from severe mental illness. We suggest that a stay in a Crisis Home represents an improvement in quality of the total treatment package; however, further documentation, including of the health economic aspects, will require a randomised trial.