Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is a way of providing many types of service to people with very serious mental illnesses. ACT teams provide services directly to people in their community. People who get ACT services receive the round-the-clock staffing of a psychiatric unit, but within the comfort of their own home and community. ACT team members are trained in the areas of psychiatry, social work, nursing, substance use disorders, and supported employment so they have the skills they need to meet the many needs of the people they serve. The ACT team provides these services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, each day of the year.
The ACT model is designed for people that have a very serious mental illness with symptoms that get in the way of everyday life (e.g., employment, self-care, and relationships). People getting services from an ACT team are usually people with schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders (e.g., schizoaffective disorder), and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness); those who are not helped by usual outpatient models; those who have difficulty getting to appointments on their own; those who have had bad experiences in the traditional system; or those who have limited understanding of their need for help.
The program addresses needs related to:
- Managing symptom
- Housing
- Finances
- Employment
- Medical care
- Substance use
- Family life
- Activities of daily life
Assertive Community Treatment is funded by both the Missouri Department of Mental Health and by MO HealthNet Division.