Consumers' perceptions of transitions from assertive community treatment to less intensive services

When first conceptualized, it was thought that individuals with severe mental illness who needed assertive community treatment (ACT) would need ACT for life. Today, ACT-for-life is contrary to recovery-based principles, and teams routinely transition consumers to less intensive services. However, there is little qualitative information about the experiences of consumers who transition from ACT. To address this gap in our knowledge, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 consumers who had transitioned from ACT to case management services. Consumers expressed feelings of loss and frustration about transitioning from ACT to case management services. Findings underscore the importance of facilitating open dialogue about transitions with consumers, managing consumers' expectations of post-transition services, and facilitating consumer independence prior to transition. ACT teams should be deliberate about preparing consumers for transitions from ACT. More research is needed about facilitating successful transitions from ACT.