Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)
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ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT (ACT)
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an intensive array of community-based services that support consumers in their recovery. ACT is focused on recipients diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness who are at high risk for psychiatric hospitalization and/or crisis stabilization. This is a team based approach with a small staff to recipient ratio. All recipients are discussed at team meetings so appropriate intervention is planned on a daily basis. ACT is provided by a multi-disciplinary team that assumes joint responsibility for the full array of intervention services.
Findings indicate that ACT:
- Reduces relapse and crises
- Reduces hospitalization readmissions
- Improves medication adherence
- Increases satisfaction with service
- Increases housing stability
- Improves general quality of life
Challenges for Providers:
- Expensive and labor intensive program
- Fidelity must be monitored and demonstrated
- Annual training requirements demand monitoring and compliance
- Full time RN and Team Leaders required regardless of team size
Upside for Providers:
- Very effective
- Decreases the number of crises staff must handle
- Able to monitor situations and respond proactively
- Improves medication management
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