Foster Community for Mental Patients: A New Haven.

The purpose of this study was to develop a "Foster Community" which is a small town in which local residents welcome ex-psychiatric patients and interact with them in a manner that evokes no community censure or disruption of personal life styles. The first facet consisted of the organization of a series of activities to reduce the social distance between patients and members of the community, and the development of a foster home program. The second facet was the establishment of a resocialization and remotivation program to ready patients for community placement. Continuing medical, psychiatric, and social services were provided to insure the maintenance of community cooperation and maintenance of the patient at the appropriate level of functioning. The town of New Haven, Missouri, was developed into a foster community and presently seventeen patients are in the program. Results thus far demonstrate that: (1) a community can be induced to sponsor such a program, (2) enlightened community attitudes follow from direct exposure to patients, (3) families offer homes and support independent living arrangements in the town, and (4) a patient's condition improves further with a planned resocialization and remotivation program. (author/RSM)