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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research
Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research 1/2015

01-01-2015 | Original Article

“You Might Lose Him Through the Cracks”: Clinicians’ Views on Discharge from Assertive Community Treatment

Authors: Elizabeth Bromley, Lisa Mikesell, Nikki Panasci Armstrong, Alexander S. Young

Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams are increasingly interested in improving access to ACT through discharge of improved clients to less intensive mental health care services. We report results from a process evaluation of three teams in the VA’s ACT program, Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM), that began to implement discharge. MHICM clinicians (n = 15) describe significant barriers to discharge. Clinicians support the concept of discharge but raise concerns about clients’ future stability, clients’ feelings about discharge, and other aspects of the discharge process. We propose strategies that can be used to support clinicians and clients in discharge decision-making.
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Metadata
Title
“You Might Lose Him Through the Cracks”: Clinicians’ Views on Discharge from Assertive Community Treatment
Authors
Elizabeth Bromley
Lisa Mikesell
Nikki Panasci Armstrong
Alexander S. Young
Publication date
01-01-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 0894-587X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3289
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-014-0547-3

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