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Two new reports released today by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) could help federal and state policymakers improve procedures for monitoring the quality of care provided in residential facilities for adults and for children living with a mental illness.
These two reports, which involved a national survey of state officials, provide the most accurate national data available concerning methods that states use to license, regulate, and monitor residential facilities for both children and adults with mental illness.
Officials in state departments of mental health, social services and health and human services responded to a structured questionnaire on facility characteristics and programs, licensing and oversight procedures and sources of financing. To be included in the study, residential facilities for adults and children with mental illness had to be licensed or certified by the state as providing some therapeutic services in addition to room and board.
The two studies found that states use a variety of methods for monitoring residential facilities for adults and children with mental illness, and that states vary in the extent to which they use one method or another. Typical methods included on-site inspections, documentation of staff training and qualifications, record reviews, resident interviews, critical-incident reports, and standards for resident-to-staff ratios and for educational levels of facility directors. All states used at least several of these methods, but few states used all of them.
In addition, the studies also found that the regulatory and monitoring environment for residential facilities is complex because in most states, several agencies, each with a different mission and function, are involved in facility licensing, funding, and oversight.
State Regulation of Residential Facilities for Adults with Mental Illness includes responses from officials in 34 States and the District of Columbia who provided information on 63 types of residential facilities; these 63 types account for 7,327 facilities that, in total, had 103,393 beds as of September 30, 2003. State Regulation of Residential Facilities for Children with Mental Illness includes responses from officials in 38 states who provided information on 71 types of facilities; these 71 types accounted for 3,628 facilities that, in total, had 50,507 beds as of September 30, 2003.
Copies of both reports are available below or at SAMHSA’s National Mental Health Information Center at www.mentalhealth.samhsa.gov or by calling 1-800-789-2647
 State Regulation of Residential Facilities for Children with Mental Illness
State Regulation of Residential Facilities for Adults with Mental Illness
Last revised 07/19/06
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SAMHSA, is a public health agency within the Department
of Health and Human Services. The agency is responsible for improving
the accountability, capacity and effectiveness of the nation’s
substance abuse prevention, addictions, treatment, and mental health
services delivery system.
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