[Medical and occupational rehabilitation of psychiatric patients. Results of concomitant research of rehabilitation facilities for psychiatric and handicapped patients].

The Rehabilitation facilities for mentally ill and disabled (RPK) are designed to enable clients with chronic mental illness to (re)acquire the skills needed for their reintegration in occupational and/or social respects. The peculiar feature of the RPKs is their holistic approach integrating medical-psychiatric care, vocational preparation and training services, as well as sociotherapeutic measures. Accompanying research findings clearly prove that, once they have gained a firm foothold in the RPK, the great majority of the rehabilitees will achieve successful and lasting rehabilitation. The medical phase is completed by some two thirds of the clients admitted. Drop-out usually occurs in the initial three months period. The medical phase is followed by medical-vocational services in approx. 60% of the rehabilitees, and the majority of these achieve successful reintegration, with a drop-out rate of 15-20% in this phase clearly below the rate during the medical service provision phase. RPKs operating along a cooperative model have proven their worth within a dense service provider network, while the advantages of the integrative model lie in its concentration of services under one roof. Recommendations given in particular pertain to simplification of admission procedures and to ensuring follow-up services after programme completion.