Medical and vocational rehabilitation in rehabilitation facilities for people with mental illnesses in Germany. Analysis of admission and discharge data

Integrative medical and vocational rehabilitation has been implemented in Germany in rehabilitation facilities for people with mental illnesses (RPK). In all 52 RPK facilities in Germany the admission and discharge data of all rehabilitation patients are collected and accumulated at facility level before they are combined at the registration office of the Federal Association of RPKs (BAG RPK). This study is based on a descriptive analysis of admission and discharge data of 1311 rehabilitation patients in the year 2010. Nearly two thirds of the 1311 RPK rehabilitation patients met the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia or affective disorders. A subgroup of 39.1 % of all patients participated in vocational RPK measures (programs for participation in working life, LTA) after having received medical RPK measures. After completion of the vocational RPK measures 38 % of the rehabilitation patients were employed and 26 % were in education and retraining, i.e. 64 % of the patients were employed in the labor market or in educational measures. The housing and living conditions of the majority of patients changed in the direction of increased autonomy after completion of the RPK measures. For people with severe mental illnesses, RPKs can be a place of successful rehabilitative measures facilitating participation in community life. Future studies need to investigate predictors of outcome.