Supporting clients who have not responded well to traditional mental health programs and services.
Assertive community treatment (ACT) teams provide person-centered, recovery-oriented, flexible, community-based outreach mental health services for adults with serious and persistent mental illness that makes it difficult to manage their daily living. These individuals often have difficulty connecting with, or responding well to, traditional outpatient mental health and rehabilitation services that is generally offered in an office setting.
ACT team members work closely with the person along with the person’s family or other supports identified by the person, to create a plan to improve their quality of life and decrease time spent in hospital, and with emergency services.
The ACT team provides comprehensive assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and support activities including:
- Assisting with housing needs as required
- Accessing medical care
- Substance use counselling and/or access to treatment
- Life skills support/skill building
- Medication delivery
- Grocery shopping with staff
- Social and recreational events in and out of office, client-driven groups
- Vocational rehabilitation support-help with finding volunteer or competitive employment
- Connecting the person to community resources
- Transport the person to appointments
- Supporting and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, personal hygiene, short and long-term goal setting and money management
- Connecting person to income assistance services
- Medication management
The majority of services that ACT teams provide are offered in community settings that are comfortable and convenient for the person (e.g. the person’s home, local restaurants/coffee shops, parks, shelters or even a street corner if that’s where the person prefers).
Hours of operation
Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Access
Eligibility
- Adults (19+) living in a community with an ACT team.
- Adults living with serious mental illness who have many complex needs, and have great difficulty managing their day-to-day tasks, most of the time (e.g. cooking, cleaning, banking, taking medications as prescribed).
- Adults facing mental health and substance use disorders, at risk of further deterioration and/or at risk of homelessness.
- Adults who have had many visits to hospital emergency departments, admissions to hospital psychiatric care, and/or frequently use police and ambulance services.
ACT team services are not suitable for people with:
- Substance use disorders without a primary mental health disorder
- Dementia
- A primary diagnosis of personality disorder
Referral
Residents of these communities with an ACT team can be referred through a community or hospital-based health care provider.
- In Surrey, South Surrey and North Delta, contact the Surrey Mental Health Outreach Program.
- In Abbotsford and Mission, contact the Abbotsford/ Mission ACT Team.
- In New Westminster and Tri-Cities (Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody), contact the New Westminster/Tri-Cities ACT Team.
- In Langley, contact the Langley ACT Team