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Moving assertive community treatment into standard practice.
S D Phillips1, B J Burns, E R Edgar
1Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA. sphillips@psych.mc.duke.edu
Psychiatric Services (Washington, D.C.)
|May 29, 2001
Summary
Assertive community treatment (ACT) offers effective, cost-efficient psychiatric care for severe mental illness, reducing hospitalizations and improving satisfaction. However, this evidence-based model is not widely accessible to all who need it.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Mental Health Services Research
- Health Services Administration
Background:
- Severe mental illness (SMI) requires comprehensive, community-based psychiatric care.
- Traditional care models often fall short in meeting the complex needs of individuals with SMI.
- Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) has emerged as a promising alternative.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) model.
- To discuss the implementation challenges of ACT.
- To highlight the effectiveness and accessibility gaps of ACT.
Main Methods:
- Review of over 25 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on ACT.
- Analysis of research findings regarding ACT's impact on hospitalization, cost, and consumer satisfaction.
- Discussion of implementation factors influencing ACT availability.
Main Results:
- ACT significantly reduces psychiatric hospitalizations.
- ACT is cost-effective, comparable to traditional care.
- ACT demonstrates higher satisfaction rates for consumers and families compared to standard care.
- Despite proven efficacy, ACT is not universally available.
Conclusions:
- Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an effective, satisfactory, and cost-efficient model for severe mental illness.
- Implementation barriers limit the widespread availability of ACT.
- Further efforts are needed to ensure equitable access to ACT for all individuals with SMI.