Comparison of Service Outcomes of Case Management Teams With and Without a Consumer Provider

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study used an approximation of random assignment to examine the extent to which including a consumer provider on conventional case management teams serving people with a serious mental illness improves service delivery and client outcomes when compared to teams staffed only by nonconsumers. Overall results show that consumer providers with significant life experience, but limited postsecondary education, can be effective members of conventional case management teams that produce comparable outcomes to teams comprised exclusively of nonconsumer, professionally-trained staff.