Practical guidelines for the community treatment of markedly impaired patients.

A sound technology does not yet exist for successfully treating in the community those patients traditionally treated by public mental hospitals and aftercare programs. The current paper attempts to advance this technology by presenting practical guidelines based on the empirical work of the writers and others. Recommendations include a focus on the teaching of coping skills, an in vivo site of treatment, an assertive approach, and use of a variety of social learning techniques. Staffing and monetary needs for community treatment are also discussed.