The main role of the crisis unit at a state psychiatric hospital was found to be the provision of brief hospitalisation for patients with adjustment disorders and person ality disorders. The four bed crisis unit treated 14% of all patients admitted to the hospital, with an average length of stay less than three days. A study of 78 crisis unit patients found that 77% were able to be discharged directly to the community, and only 18% were readmitted during the following six months.
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