Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is an approach to treating people with mental illness which is community-based. It allows for early intervention and enables care receivers to be independent (SW Classes, 2016a). ACT has been instrumental in helping people with dual disorders, the second of which is substance abuse, and demonstrated positive outcomes (SW Classes, 2016b).
As a team of specialists is aware of the connection between the two, they will likely determine the symptoms and address both or at least the primary one (SW Classes, 2016c). Although the approach serves as a more holistic alternative to hospitalization, admission may occur after the treatment, but its success is still higher for ACT participants due to increased motivation (Kortrijk et al., 2010). Thus, ACT presents an appropriate basis for addressing the needs of people who have both mental illness and substance abuse.
Adopting ACT is not particularly challenging, although the involved members should be engaged in the mission. They should be able to cooperate, provide 24/7 services, develop individualized programs, and lead a person towards recovery using all available means (Morse & McKasson, 2005). Beforehand, the target group needs to be specified: people who have both mental illness and substance abuse, and someone well-versed in both is a necessary addition to the team (Morse & McKasson, 2005).
In addition to usual services provided by ACT, they require an integrated approach, implying the treatment of both shared decision-making and a comprehensive program (Boyle et al., 2005). It can be stage-wise, where interventions depend on the progress made by a person (Boyle et al., 2005). While evaluating one’s condition or assessing the treatment’s effectiveness, the team should consider cultural sensitivity, as not everyone is fluent in English (Rubin & Bellamy, 2012). Fidelity would play a role in guaranteeing the program’s success, so regular supervision of whether it complies with the criteria is necessary (Boyle et al., 2005). Otherwise, the process will be undermined and fail to treat both conditions.
References
Boyle, P., Delos Reyes, C. M., & Kruszynski, R. A. (2005). Integrated dual-disorder treatment. In R. E. Drake, M. R. Merrens, & D.W. Lynde (Eds.), Evidence-based mental health practice: A textbook (pp. 349-365). W. W. Norton & Company.
Kortrijk, H. E., Staring, A. B. P, van Baars, A. W. B, & Mulder, C. L. (2010). Involuntary admission may support treatment outcome and motivation in patients receiving assertive community treatment. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 45, 245-252. Web.
Morse, G., & McKasson, M. (2005). Assertive community treatment. In R. E. Drake, M. R. Merrens, & D.W. Lynde (Eds.), Evidence-based mental health practice: A textbook (pp. 317-348). W. W. Norton & Company.
Rubin, A., & Bellamy, J. (2012). Practitioner’s guide to using research for evidence-based practice (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
SW Classes. (2016a). Hospital without walls – DVD [Video]. YouTube. Web.
SW Classes. (2016b). Integrated dual disorders treatment – DVD [Video]. YouTube. Web.
SW Classes. (2016c). Working with people with co-occurring disorders [Video]. YouTube. Web.