[Experiences with residential communities for psychiatric patients].

We report about 3 1/2 years experience with sheltered apartments in Bern Switzerland. Now 53 psychiatric ex-patients have been living in 9 apartments. After a survey of the literature, we describe the organizational model and the goals of the project. A big mental state hospital and a small social-psychiatric service with different needs and views of the problems work together. The two different groups of residents, their social- and illness-data are analyzed and compared. Indications, the expense of care and the results are described. The most important effect seems to be the reduction of the need of hospitalization p.a. in the group of residents in a ratio of 10 to 1.