Hospital & community psychiatry
-
Hosp Community Psychiatry · Oct 1993
Comparative StudyQuality and cost of services for seriously mentally ill individuals in British Columbia and the United States.
To better understand the strengths and weaknesses of systems of services for seriously mentally ill individuals in Canada and the United States, the quality and cost of services in the province of British Columbia (population 3.2 million) were compared with those of services in the 50 states. ⋯ Probable reasons for the superior services for seriously mentally ill individuals in British Columbia include single-source funding, a strong mandate to treat such individuals, and a comprehensive approach to providing services. The Canadian health system, as implemented in British Columbia, has definite advantages for individuals with serious mental illnesses.