[Development of the renewed Flexible ACT scale: F-ACT fidelity 2017]

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services Research
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Psychiatric Care Models

Background:

• Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (F-ACT) is a key model for severe mental illness care, integrating case management and crisis intervention.
• Existing F-ACT fidelity scales are outdated, not reflecting current restorative and evidence-based care standards.
• A need exists for an updated instrument to accurately assess F-ACT team performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a new model fidelity scale for Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (F-ACT) teams.
• To create an instrument that reflects contemporary standards in mental health care.
• To provide a reliable tool for quality control in F-ACT services.

Main Methods:

• A new scale, F-ACTs 2017, was developed using expert knowledge, literature review, and stakeholder feedback.
• The scale underwent rigorous testing and refinement through two pilot rounds with trained auditors across 21 F-ACT teams.
• Iterative adjustments were made based on auditor feedback and pilot study outcomes.

Main Results:

• The final version of the F-ACTs 2017 scale was successfully developed and approved by stakeholders and the board of auditors in 2017.
• The scale was implemented and is currently in use for monitoring F-ACT team quality.
• The F-ACTs 2017 provides a validated instrument for assessing model fidelity.

Conclusions:

• The F-ACTs 2017 represents a state-of-the-art instrument for monitoring the quality of care for individuals with severe mental illness.
• This new scale enables the evaluation of F-ACT team fidelity against current field standards in a dynamic healthcare context.
• The availability of F-ACTs 2017 supports ongoing research and quality improvement in severe mental illness treatment.