ABSTRACT
The last three decades have shown a trend toward integrating clients and their access to mental healthcare from the hospital to the community setting. The transition from the hospital to the community can leave clients with a gap in care if community supports are not arranged prior to discharge. If clients are left to wait for this arrangement, they may depend on more expensive emergency services to address problems that arise. Having an integrated transition is essential for successful de-hospitalization and supporting clients’ needs while they are establishing themselves in the community. This chapter discusses the evidence on client transitions from the hospital to the community setting using findings from a study that implemented the transitional discharge model. It reports on the perspectives of clients, healthcare professionals, and peer supporters.
