Performance and effectiveness of step progressive care pathways within mental health supported accommodation services in Italy

Background: In Italy, a growing number of people with severe mental illness (SMI) require care in residential facilities (RFs), a key component of the care pathway. However, despite their development, studies about resident samples have been very few. Aims: This study, the VALERE-REC Study (eVALuation of outcomE in Residential-use of clinical data with REsearch objeCtives) aims to identify the characteristics that increase the probability to move patients living in RFs to a more independent setting. Methods: A survey involved 167 patients hosted in 25 RFs of the Verona Mental Health Department. Forty-five patients were residents (27%) in Comunità Terapeutico Riabilitativa Protetta (CTRP); 56 (34%) in Comunità Alloggio (CA), 14 (8%) in Gruppo Appartamento Protetto (GAP), 52 (31%) in Comunità Alloggio Estensiva (CAE). They were assessed for their care pathway after 30-months. The Quality Indicators for Rehabilitative Care-Supported Accommodation (QuIRC-SA) evaluated the quality of 19/25 (76%) RFs. Descriptive analyses were done. Results: According to the mission stated by the Veneto Region guidelines, RFs hosted patients with different needs and clinical profiles. The mean stay was longer than expected, most patients were unemployed, unmet needs were related to self-management and patient's social contacts, and recovery-oriented practices were not implemented. Conclusions: Despite the appropriate admission of patients in different RFs considering their psychopathology, functioning, and needs, the progressive step care pathway did not result effectively pursued. To improve the effectiveness of residential interventions a major task should be to focus on the acquisition of the necessary skills to live independently.