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Community
Support Services
ACT - Assertive Community Treatment
ACT is an evidence based best practice which
produces positive measurable results. Assertive community treatment (ACT) is
a way of delivering comprehensive and effective services to individuals who
are diagnosed with severe mental illness and who have needs that have not
been well met by traditional approaches to delivering services.
Researchers have found that
compared to traditional approaches to care (usually brokered or clinical
case management programs), ACT results in:
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lower use of
inpatient services
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better quality of life
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more independent living
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better substance abuse outcomes (when a substance abuse component is
included)
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higher rates of competitive employment (when a supported employment
component is included)
-
greater consumer and family member satisfaction
At the heart
of ACT is a multi-disciplinary team of practitioners who provide services to
clients at a 10:1 ratio. Services are delivered directly by the team as
opposed to being brokered from other agencies or providers. To ensure that
services are highly integrated, team members are cross-trained in each
other's areas of expertise to the maximum extent possible. Team members
collaborate on assessments, treatment planning, and day-to-day
interventions. Instead of practitioners having individual caseloads, team
members are jointly responsible for making sure each person receives the
services he or she needs to support his or her recovery from mental illness.
Team members are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The course of
recovery from severe mental illness and what it means to have a life that is
not defined by a severe mental illness differs among people.
Consequently,
ACT services are highly individualized and there are no arbitrary time
limits on the length of time an individual receives services.
Most services
are provided "in vivo," that is, in the community settings where
problems may occur and support is needed rather than in staff offices or
clinics. By providing services in this way, people get the treatment and
support they need to address the complex, real world problems that can
hinder their recovery. Each person's status is reviewed daily by the team so
the nature and intensity of services can be adjusted quickly as needs
change. At times, team members may meet with a person several times a day,
but as the individual's needs and goals change, the nature and frequency of
contacts with the individual also change.
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