Assertive Community Treatment (ACT)

Assertive community treatment (ACT) is a team-based treatment approach for individuals with mental illness. It is designed for individuals who need 24-hour support and monitoring, but not in a hospital setting. ACT is often appropriate for those that have recently been discharged from an inpatient hospital or day treatment program and still require intensive support, but would benefit from being away from the group aspects of a hospital setting or are more comfortable living independently. ACT is also appropriate for individuals who have not been hospitalized, but are at risk for hospitalization. 

ACT provides long-term, individualized care to a person with severe mental illness in an effort to reduce the symptoms of mental illness and improve the quality of a person’s life. ACT is a multidisciplinary approach to treatment in which various healthcare providers work together to provide individuals with better, more efficient care. By working collaboratively, providers can address all of a person’s healthcare and personal needs from a holistic perspective. Services offered through ACT can include:

• Psychiatric assessment
• Medication management
• Counseling
• Housing support
• Case management
• Vocational services

Recipients of ACT receive services in their home and communities, and benefit from treatment uniquely suited to them.