TY - JOUR
T1 - Cost analysis of long-term outcomes of an urban mental health court
AU - Kubiak, Sheryl
AU - Roddy, Juliette
AU - Comartin, Erin
AU - Tillander, Elizabeth
N1 - Funding Information:
The research was funded through a combination of funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance , Flinn Foundation of Michigan , and the Wayne County Mental Health Authority .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2015/10/1
Y1 - 2015/10/1
N2 - Multiple studies have demonstrated decreased recidivism and increased treatment engagement for individuals with serious mental illness involved in Mental Health Courts (MHC). However, the limited availability of social and fiscal resources requires an analysis of the relationship between a program's effectiveness and its costs. Outcome costs associated with a sample of 105 participants discharged for more than 1 year - and grouped by completion status - were compared to an eligible sample not enrolled (n=. 45). Transactional costs analysis (TCA) was used to calculate outcomes associated with treatment, arrest, and confinement in the 12-month post-MHC. Total outcome costs for the Successful Group ($16,964) significantly differed from the Unsuccessful ($32,258) and Compare Groups ($39,870). Costs associated with the higher number of arrests for those in the Compare Group created the largest differences. Total cost savings between Successful and Compare (M=. $22,906) equated to $916,240 and savings between Unsuccessful and Compare (M=. $7612) were $494,708. The total combined cost savings for participants in the 12-month post-MHC period was $1,411,020. While it is important to understand that MHCs and the individuals that they serve vary and these results are for a felony-level court, policy makers and researchers can use these results to guide their decision-making.
AB - Multiple studies have demonstrated decreased recidivism and increased treatment engagement for individuals with serious mental illness involved in Mental Health Courts (MHC). However, the limited availability of social and fiscal resources requires an analysis of the relationship between a program's effectiveness and its costs. Outcome costs associated with a sample of 105 participants discharged for more than 1 year - and grouped by completion status - were compared to an eligible sample not enrolled (n=. 45). Transactional costs analysis (TCA) was used to calculate outcomes associated with treatment, arrest, and confinement in the 12-month post-MHC. Total outcome costs for the Successful Group ($16,964) significantly differed from the Unsuccessful ($32,258) and Compare Groups ($39,870). Costs associated with the higher number of arrests for those in the Compare Group created the largest differences. Total cost savings between Successful and Compare (M=. $22,906) equated to $916,240 and savings between Unsuccessful and Compare (M=. $7612) were $494,708. The total combined cost savings for participants in the 12-month post-MHC period was $1,411,020. While it is important to understand that MHCs and the individuals that they serve vary and these results are for a felony-level court, policy makers and researchers can use these results to guide their decision-making.
KW - Cost/benefit
KW - Mental health
KW - Specialty courts
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U2 - 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2015.04.002
DO - 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2015.04.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 25982871
AN - SCOPUS:84930614040
SN - 0149-7189
VL - 52
SP - 96
EP - 106
JO - Evaluation and Program Planning
JF - Evaluation and Program Planning
ER -