An Overview of Assertive Community Treatment, ACT

According to the Assertive Community Treatment Association (ACTA) website, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is designed to provide persons who have been diagnosed with mental illnesses comprehensive, community-based psychiatric treatment, support, and rehabilitation. There are eleven principals of the ACT program. The ACT team which is made up of psychiatrists, nurses, social and rehabilitation workers are dedicated to working together to provide the comprehensive care that mentally ill patients need in one place, without having to send them to other mental health clinics. ACT services are provided in a community setting. Clients are given services that have been tailored to their needs and ACT practitioners constantly monitor their clients and make necessary changes to their treatment plans. ACT practitioners are assertive in that they urge their clients to continue treatment while living their lives independently and recovering from disabilities. ACT services are long-term; ACT practitioners remain with their clients for as long as they are needed. ACT practitioners urge their clients to participate in vocations and they provide vocations for some of their clients. ACT provides substance abuse services to their clients. ACT practitioners provide educational services to their clients, teaching them more about their own illness and giving them the tools to help them manage their illnesses more efficiently. ACT provides family support and education to the families of their clients, educating families and helping to facilitate bonds between mentally ill patients and their families. ACT practitioners help their clients to become parts of their communities, and they work to help their patients to become less isolated socially. Lastly, ACT pays strict attention to their client's health care needs, coordinating all facets of their client's healthcare.

There are obvious differences between ACT and other similar programs. For one, ACT is more than case management. ACT programs are made up of skilled multi-disciplined professionals who bring mental healthcare directly to the people who need it. Practitioners who are a part of ACT programs see clients in their homes and communities, rather than send them to mental hospitals or clinics for their care. Also, ACT team members are dedicated to providing excellent mental health care to their clients for an unlimited amount of time. Whereas other similar programs set time limits on the amount of treatment they allow their clients, ACT program members stay with their clients until they are no longer needed.

There are numerous benefits of choosing Assertive Community Treatment programs. According to the governor's institute on Alcohol and substance abuse, ACT programs have been beneficial in helping drug users to quit their habits and in helping people who are having trouble with the law to get their lives back on track. ACT programs go the extra mile in mental health care by helping their clients to handle their basic everyday needs, such as staying safe and getting food to eat. ACT programs also help to cut down on the amount of time that individuals spend in inpatient care. ACT programs help to keep families together. As a member of a family who has had to deal with a mentally ill person, I cannot stress how important it is to educate family members on their loved ones illness and the ways they can help. ACT programs help their clients to obtain jobs, even providing jobs to some of their clients. Unlike most mental health programs, ACT programs provide their clients with help in doing their finances. ACT programs insure that their clients overall health is monitored by making sure that their clients get their medications and know how to take them properly. ACT programs help their clients to get and maintain housing. Finally, ACT team members provide counseling services to their clients to help them reduce their social anxiety. I recommend Assertive Community Treatment programs to anyone who has a mentally ill family member and is looking to get them the best possible care.