105 The effects of supported housing for individuals with mental disorders Netherlands. The individuals at the margin of eligibility in our study correspond to the group most likely impacted by policy changes entailing a shift in the eligibility threshold for supported housing. This paper proceeds as follows: Institutional background section provides information on supported housing in the Netherlands and the application procedure. Data section describes the rich administrative data sources which were linked at the individual level for the purpose of this study. Empirical approach section describes the use of assessor leniency as a source of exogenous variation in eligibility for supported housing. Results section describes our findings and the Discussion section discusses these results and concludes. INSTITUTIONAL BACKGROUND Care for people with mental disorders in the Netherlands During the study period, public long-term care insurance was funded through the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act and covered three types of care for people with mental disorders or psychosocial problems: home care, supported housing1 and institutional care. Home care could be nursing, personal care (e.g. hygiene), or individual or group guidance2. Institutional care consisted of long-term inpatient stays beyond 365 days and was the only setting in which clinical treatment was funded by the public long-term care insurance. For the remaining individuals – even those receiving publicly funded home care or supported housing – mental health treatment was funded through mandatory private health insurance and provided by mental health care providers in an outpatient setting or through shorter inpatient stays (up to 365 days). General practitioners acted as gatekeepers for mental health services and provided basic support to mild complaints of mental health distress. Supported housing Supported housing is typically provided to individuals after inpatient mental health care, deterioration of mental health while living independently in the community, or as a way to move out of community-based rehabilitation units or forensic services. It aims at addressing functional impairment, developing living skills, and improving social functioning. These principles may be implemented in various forms and supported housing providers might differ considerably in terms of physical structure, staffing arrangements, and degree of support [11]. 1 Other designations use for supported housing include protected living, sheltered living, or supportive housing 2 Individual or group guidance is provided according to practices of floating outreach support or supported independent living, at the individuals own home. 4
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