Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an evidence-based, integrated approach to providing intensive, recovery-based treatment for the highest risk consumers of mental health resources. ACT is a service-delivery model that assists individuals with serious and persistent mental illness who have needs that are not being adequately addressed though traditional service delivery methods work toward recovery. Using a comprehensive team approach, ACT is able to provide highly individualized, flexible, and coordinated care that has proven to result in improved outcomes for consumers in a cost-effective manner. Services provided through ACT include psychiatric care, mental health therapy and drug and alcohol counseling, medication management, case management and service coordination, peer support, mobile psychiatric rehabilitation, crisis services, diversion services, and housing, vocational, and functional support services.
Service Goals: The goals of ACT are to provide an intensive, individualized, and comprehensive delivery of mental health services to the most vulnerable consumers in our community. Through adherence to the model as evaluated by the DACTS (Dartmouth Assertive Community Treatment Scale), the following outcomes are desired:
- Reduced emergency room visits and hospitalization
- Reduced reliance on crisis services
- Reduced involvement with criminal justice entities
- Ability to procure and manage medication independently
- Improved quality of life
- Stable housing
- Community integration
- Independence in daily living skills
- Meaningful vocation/education
- Improved physical health
- Increase cost-effectiveness of treatment
- Increased consumer satisfaction
- Improved communication and collaboration across disciplines
- Reduced hospital usage
- Reduced police and criminal justice involvement
- Reduced systems cost
- Reduced strain on resources
- Increased labor force and community involvement
Admission Criteria
In order to be considered for admission onto the Modified ACT Team at The Guidance Center, a consumer must be an adult (age 18+), a resident of McKean County, PA, and meet the following criteria:
- Primary diagnosis of a serious and persistent mental health condition
- At least 2 of the following:
- At least 3 inpatient psychiatric hospitalization in the past 12 months
- At least 2 readmission to a psychiatric hospital within 30 days
- Utilization of crisis services at least 3 times in any 30-day period within the past 6 months
- Intractable severe major symptoms (i.e. affective, psychotic, suicidal)
- Co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorder for more than 6 months duration
- Involvement (within the past 6 months) or high risk of becoming involved with the criminal justice system
- Homeless, at imminent risk of becoming homeless, or living in substandard housing conditions
- Demonstrated difficulty in accessing or engaging with traditional service delivery models
Exclusionary Criteria
A consumer would be considered inappropriate for ACT if they meet any
of the following criteria:
1. Under the age of 18 or a non-resident of McKean County
2. Primary Diagnosis of Intellectual Disability or Substance Use Disorder
3. Current resident in a long-term psychiatric care facility or other institutional setting (i.e.
prison)
4. Insufficient evidence to support inclusion criteria specified above