Assertive Community Treatment Program(ACT)
The Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program at Mid-Columbia Center For Living is designed to provide services that support recovery in the community. The ACT team builds on MCCFL’s mission by providing intensive supports and skill building to help individuals succeed in their recovery goals.
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an Evidence-Based Practice Model designed to provide treatment, rehabilitation and support services to individuals who are diagnosed with a severe mental illness and whose needs have not been well met by more traditional mental health services.
Individuals with a primary diagnosis of a personality disorder(s), substance abuse disorder or developmental disability are not appropriate for ACT.
Priority is given to people with schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders (e.g., schizo-affective disorder), bipolar disorder and/or major or chronic depression, because these illnesses more often cause long-term psychiatric disability.
- Recipients with serious functional impairments demonstrate at least one of the following conditions:
- Inability to consistently perform practical daily living tasks required for basic adult functioning in the community without significant support or assistance from others such as friends, family or relatives.
- Inability to be consistently employed at a self-sustaining level or inability to consistently carry out the homemaker role.
- Inability to maintain a safe living situation (e.g., repeated evictions or loss of housing).
Priority is also given to individuals with continuous high service needs that are not being met in more traditional service settings.
- Recipients with continuous high service needs demonstrate one or more of the following conditions:
- Inability to participate or succeed in traditional, office-based services or case management. High use of acute psychiatric hospitals (two hospitalizations within one year, or one hospitalization of 60 days or more within one year).
- High use of psychiatric emergency or crisis services.
- Persistent severe major symptoms (e.g., affective, psychotic, suicidal or significant impulse control issues).
- Co-existing substance abuse disorder (duration greater than 6 months).
- Current high risk or recent history of criminal justice involvement.
- Inability to meet basic survival needs or homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless.
- Residing in an inpatient bed or in a supervised community residence, but clinically assessed to be able to live in a more independent setting if intensive community services are provided.
- Currently living independently but clinically assessed to be at immediate risk of requiring a more restrictive living situation (e.g., community residence or psychiatric hospital) without intensive community services.