Relationship-Based Care (RBC) is a mental health treatment model for individuals who have pronounced difficulty with engagement and sustained interpersonal contact. RBC was specifically developed for use with homeless adults who have been arrested and diverted from jail because of severe mental illness. This population may face particular challenges to forming positive relationships in which they feel respect, connectedness, and empathy. Difficulty with engagement can, in turn, affect individuals’ ability to establish a support network, obtain stable housing, and avoid reinvolvement with the criminal justice system. RBC aims to help individuals develop the healthy relationship qualities necessary to engage in the therapeutic, educational, and rehabilitation opportunities that are available to them, thereby leading to increased psychosocial functioning and stability and reduced recidivism.
Program staff use motivational enhancement therapy techniques, including expressing empathy and indirectly confronting clients by helping them see the discrepancy between their aspirations and current situation. Case management, health education groups, and other supportive services are also provided to encourage clients’ active interest and involvement in managing their psychiatric and medical problems.