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Biomedical subjects

S McNary

Publications and source records attributed to S McNary.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Case managers' and clients' perspectives on a representative payee program.

OBJECTIVE: Clients with severe and persistent mental illnesses often require a representative payee to help manage benefit funds. This study compared the perceptions of clients and clinical case managers about the benefits of and problems with the representative payee relationship. METHODS: Fifty-four clients receiving assertive community treatment completed an interview that assessed satisfaction with their experience of having a representative payee and the resulting impact on their substance use, budgeting, and housing. The clients' clinical case managers completed a similar questionnaire. Analyses examined associations between providers' and clients' responses and clients' gender, race, diagnosis, previous experience with a representative payee, and duration of the current representative payeeship. RESULTS: Clients and case managers recognized benefits of the representative payeeship in the areas of housing, substance use, and budgeting. Although little evidence was found that the payeeship pervasively interfered with the therapeutic relationship, 44 percent of case managers reported incidents in which clients verbally abused them over management of their funds. Clients' satisfaction with the representative payeeship was initially low but grew over time. Longer duration of the current payeeship and clients' previous experience with representative payeeship were associated with greater satisfaction and fewer problems. Case managers overestimated clients' initial satisfaction and underestimated their current satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that both mental health professionals and clients value the representative payee process as helpful in improving outcomes, although the benefits of the arrangement may be more evident with time and experience.

Case Management↗

Remission of substance use disorder among psychiatric inpatients with mental illness.

OBJECTIVE: The authors assessed the nature and stability of remission of substance use disorder among persons with severe mental illness at index hospitalization and at 1-year follow-up. METHOD: Consecutively admitted inpatients with severe mental illness completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R, Quality of Life Interview, and Addiction Severity Index at admission and 1 year later. Of the 268 patients, 70 were classified as past substance abusers in remission at baseline. Baseline characteristics and 1-year outcomes of this group were compared with those of the 109 current substance abusers and the 89 patients who were not substance abusers. RESULTS: The past abusers were significantly more likely to be women, and they consistently differed significantly from the current abusers in variables involving frequency of drug and alcohol use at baseline. During the follow-up period, the patients with current abuse at baseline were significantly more likely to have recurrences of substance use disorders and to use substance abuse services, and they had significantly more months of alcohol use and alcohol use to excess during follow-up than did the past abusers. CONCLUSIONS: Baseline and follow-up assessments suggested that a substantial proportion of severely mentally ill patients with past substance use disorders are in stable remission.

Adult↗

One-year follow-up of secondary versus primary mental disorder in persons with comorbid substance use disorders.

OBJECTIVE: Service utilization and outcomes of dually diagnosed patients with independent mental disorders and those with substance-induced mental disorders were compared. METHOD: Diagnosis, service use, and severity of substance use problems at baseline and 1 year later were assessed in consecutively admitted inpatients with independent mental disorders plus substance use disorders (N = 71), substance-induced mental disorders plus substance use disorders (N = 38), and independent mental disorders only (N = 59). RESULTS: At follow-up, patients with substance-induced mental disorders at baseline were more likely to have been rehospitalized than the other groups, were more likely to have used outpatient substance abuse services, were less likely to have an independent mental disorder, and had the most severe alcohol- and drug-related impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment programs for both types of dual diagnosis patients must address mental health concerns.

Adolescent↗

Substance abuse and family relationships of persons with severe mental illness.

OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to determine how substance abuse affects family relationships of persons with severe mental illness. METHOD: Patient reports of family relationships were compared between 101 psychiatric inpatients with a concurrent substance use disorder and 78 subjects with severe mental illness only. RESULTS: Patients with comorbid substance abuse reported significantly lower family satisfaction and a greater desire for family treatment. Objective indicators of frequency of family contact did not differ. CONCLUSIONS: Substance abuse is associated with low levels of satisfaction with family relationships among persons with severe mental illness. Family interventions would meet the stated needs of persons with mental illness and a comorbid substance use disorder and might help to engage them in treatment.

Adult↗