Supporting alternate level of care patients with a dual diagnosis to transition from hospital to home

The journey from hospital to home can be a significant challenge, especially for individuals with a dual diagnosis, which means they have both a developmental disability and a psychiatric condition. This group faces a higher risk of being designated as Alternate Level of Care (ALC). An ALC designation is given when patients no longer require hospital-level care but remain there, sometimes for extended stays, due to a lack of appropriate community settings and support. This situation not only adversely affects the ALC patient but also results in delays for other patients in need of hospital resources. 

Each image below introduces you to the story of an individual with a dual diagnosis who experienced an ALC hospitalization and successfully transitioned to living in the community. Through their experiences and those of their families, we can understand some of the obstacles they faced and the strategies that paved the way to a successful transition. While the experiences of these individuals were far from perfect, they were guided by some key elements that made their transition smoother. Each story concludes by highlighting how these key elements align with the core components detailed in Supporting alternate level of care (ALC) patients with a dual diagnosis to transition from hospital to home: Practice guidance.

Meet John

“Until you are in that situation, you don’t realize there is not much out there. And you can’t plan for it.  John being in a home was not part of our parents’ plan, or the route we wanted to take. But you have to be open to change your mind. We all wanted what was best for John to lead a self-fulfilling life.” - Isabelle, John’s sister