Feasibility Study for Evaluation of Assertive Community Treatment

Gary Cuddeback, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.P.H., Principal Investigator

In the State of Ohio, the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati spent $2.3 million over the last several years to develop 10 Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams. ACT is a multi-disciplinary, team-based service delivery approach with a small (1:10) staff-patient ratio, 24/7 hour availability, aggressive outreach and engagement, and comprehensive services involving medication management, employment, and psychosocial interventions. With over 30 years of evidence behind it, ACT, when implemented with full fidelity, is effective in keeping persons with severe mental illness engaged in services and out of the hospital. Prior to launching a full-scale evaluation of these teams, the Foundation awarded a contract to Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., as the Principal Investigator, Joseph P. Morrissey, Ph.D., and Marisa E. Domino, Ph.D., to conduct a feasibility study designed to help the Foundation determine if sufficient data and agency cooperation exists to complete such an evaluation. More specifically, the Foundation is interested in assessing the feasibility of conducting a larger study which would: (a) examine systemic changes to the mental health system and beyond as a result of funding the 10 ACT teams, (b) conduct a meta-analysis of process and outcome data that were collected by each of the 10 teams, and (c) collect qualitative data from ACT staff and clients regarding perceptions of the ACT treatment model.