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Fidelity to Assertive Community Treatment Program Standards: A Regional Survey of Adherence to Standards

Community Mental Health Journal volume 48, pages 138–149 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

In 2004, the Ontario government approved revised program standards for the operation of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) programs in the province. This paper reports on results from The 2005 Survey of ACT Programs in Ontario. We provide a profile of ACT programs in the province and identify respondents’ perceptions of the extent to which the revised program standards have been complied with and are thought to be essential for the effective operation of an ACT program. Program Coordinators completed surveys for 56 (85%) of the 66 ACT programs in existence at the time. None of the Program Coordinators reported that their ACT program was fully compliant with all program standards and only 4% of ACT programs were identified as being fully compliant with more than 75% of the program standards. Conclusions are provided and the broader implications of lower fidelity to program standards are discussed.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by a grant from the Arts Research Board, McMaster University. We would like to thank research associates Darlene Kindiak and Joanne Menchions and research assistants, Cheryl Gustafson, and Michael Schatte for their assitance with this study, along with all of the ACT Program Coordinators who particiapted in the study. We are also grateful for the contributions of the anonymous reviewers.

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Affiliations

  1. Strategic Market Leadership and Health Services Management, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, DSB-229, Hamilton, ON, L8S4M4, Canada

    Glen E. Randall & Patricia A. Wakefield

  2. Faculty of Business Administration, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, P7B 5E1, Canada

    David A. Richards

Authors
  1. Glen E. Randall
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  2. Patricia A. Wakefield
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  3. David A. Richards
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Correspondence to Glen E. Randall.

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Randall, G.E., Wakefield, P.A. & Richards, D.A. Fidelity to Assertive Community Treatment Program Standards: A Regional Survey of Adherence to Standards. Community Ment Health J 48, 138–149 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9353-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9353-x

Keywords

  • Health policy
  • Mental health services
  • Assertive community treatment
  • Program standards
  • Fidelity