Who is a Good Fit for ACT and FACT? Identifying the Population of Focus
Overview
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) are well studied, evidenced-based service delivery models that are effective at improving clinical and functional outcomes among individuals with serious mental illness and high service needs. This training will review clinical characteristics of the population optimally served by ACT and FACT and prepare providers to effectively identify individuals who are likely to benefit from these services. This training will differentiate clinical needs that are effectively addressed by ACT and FACT, including co-occurring substance use disorders. The training will also discuss anosognosia and treatment-refractory psychotic spectrum disorders, common clinical presentations within the ACT and FACT population of focus that are associated with a lack of insight into service needs. Trainers will discuss environmental and member specific factors that influence the engagement of individuals who do not voluntarily initiate treatment and the potential for ACT and FACT to reduce the incidence of involuntary treatment experiences. Finally, trainers will outline best practices for referral and enrollment in ACT and FACT.
Learning objectives
- Define the clinical population that is most effectively served and those less effectively served by the evidence-based Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) service delivery model
- Describe the best practices for the initial stages of evaluation for Assertive Community Treatment (e.g., strategies for assessing need, screening for comorbid conditions, assessing insight)
- Identify environmental and/or member-specific factors that can impact the pacing of initial (and ongoing) engagement in Assertive Community Treatment
