Organizational and Individual Factors Affecting Consumer Outcomes of Care in Mental Health Services

The impact of organizational and individual factors on outcomes of care were assessed for 424 adult consumers with chronic mental illness who were receiving services from one of 14 Community Mental Health Organizations (CMHOs) in Colorado over a 30-month period, as part of a larger statewide evaluation of the impact of Medicaid capitation on mental health services. Data on organizational culture and climate were aggregated from surveys of staff and administrators conducted within CMHOs over a two-year period corresponding to the collection of consumer outcome and service utilization data. Growth curve analyses were conducted on consumer perceptions of physical and mental health, and on quality of life (QOL). Analyses indicated a significant cross-level effect of organizational culture and climate on improvements in consumer perceptions of physical and mental health, but not on a “quasi-objective” index of QOL. Individual characteristics, such as age, diagnosis, gender, and ethnicity, were significant predictors of outcomes. Being older, female, an ethnic minority, and having a diagnosis of schizophrenia all predicted poorer outcomes among consumers. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for policy and future research.