The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) program provides an integrated continuum of care for adults over 18 who have a diagnosis of serious and persistent mental illness. A multidisciplinary team of professionals includes case managers, nurses, addictions and supported employment specialists, as well as a physician and a therapist.

Research has shown that the ACT program helps consumers through:

• better control of symptoms;
• lower use of inpatient services;
• better quality of life;
• more independent living;
• improved substance abuse outcomes;
• higher rates of competitive employment;
• greater consumer and family member satisfaction.

ACT services are time unlimited and are provided eight hours a day, five days a week, as well as weekends and holidays for two hours daily. After-hours services are available through the ACT crisis on-call system.

The ACT program is certified through the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction.

Treatment Goals

The cornerstone of the ACT approach is a recovery concept to rehabilitative mental health treatment. Services are tailored to each individual with the primary goals of decreasing psychiatric hospitalizations and increasing stable housing. Additional goals may include stable employment, continuing education and meaningful relationships. Informal supports to consumers (family, loved ones, landlords, etc.) are essential treatment partners and are encouraged to attend treatment planning meetings.

Criteria for admission/discharge

Adults appropriate for ACT services meet one or more of the following criteria:

• three or more psychiatric hospitalizations or emergency room visits per year;
• housing instability (more than three moves per month or homeless);
• resistive to traditional treatment within the last six months;
• dual diagnosis with an addiction of six months or longer;
• one or more encounters with the legal system in the last year;
• discharge from long-term care (state hospital) within the last six months.

Although ACT services are time unlimited, there may be a point when consumers no longer want or need services. For example, if they’ve met the following criteria: 1) gone a year without hospitalization; 2) had minimal use of the crisis on-call system; 3) successfully utilized their crisis plan; and 4) met their personal goals.

Financial information

Medicaid eligibility is preferred as ACT services are provided by programs funded through the Division of Mental Health and Addiction and are recognized as a legitimate service by the Indiana Medicaid program.

Referrals

To make a referral to ACT, contact the Community Support Program director at (574) 533-1234, ext. 353.

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