'Community support systems assessment' for use in clinical interviews

This article addresses the practical problem of economically assessing a patient's support systems within the exigencies of a psychiatric emergency service and the limits of a routine intake interview. The methodology described includes an open-ended clinical interview, in both brief and expanded form, which can be integrated into standard clinic procedures and records. The focus of the interview, the Community Support Systems Assessment, is on the naturally occurring supports available to the patient, with sensitivity to the subcultural and clinical variations that influence the supports that might be expected. The instruments described are essentially clinical tools but serve research purposes as well.