Following aacp guidelines for transitions in care: The transitional care clinic

The period of transition from hospital to community services is critical for individuals with serious mental illness. The American Association of Community Psychiatry developed guidelines for transitional services in behavioral health care. This column describes ways in which the Transitional Care Clinic (TCC) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio has implemented these guidelines. The TCC includes active outreach to hospitals and a Web-based referral system that allows hospital staff to make TCC appointments for patients for as soon as the day after discharge. The program includes a unique group intake process that allows rapid development of individualized plans while maximizing access to services and use of provider time.