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System-Wide Implementation of ACT in Ontario: An Ongoing Improvement Effort

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Abstract

In the late 1990s, the government of Ontario undertook a province-wide implementation of Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). Capacity grew to 59 teams within 6 years. This paper describes the implementation process, focusing on three phases—start-up, or the enabling phase; feedback, or the reinforcement phase; and response, or the corrective action phase. Key implementation supports include an active oversight committee with representation from both the ministry and the field and the availability of the planning data on ACT performance. Three areas of underperformance were identified: lower than expected team caseloads, drift from the target client group, and significant under-staffing in the teams. Likely causes were suggested, and corrective actions developed, which centered on clarifying the ACT standards, especially related to intake criteria, rate of intake and staffing, increasing team funding, and establishing expectations for reporting and accountability. While these corrective responses are promising, implementation of infrastructure and mechanisms for providing systematic practice feedback is still underdeveloped.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street (3rd Floor Tower), Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 2S1

    Janet Durbin PhD

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, Director of Adult Mental Health Research, System Linked Research Unit Head of Service, Mental Health Rehabilitation Services, Clinical Director, Brant Assertive Community Treatment Team, 44 King Street, Suite 204, Brantford, ON, Canada

    Lindsey George MES, MD, FRCPC

  3. Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University, Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge, CB3 9DA, United Kingdom

    Christopher J. Koegl MA

  4. Health Systems Research and Consulting Unit, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Janet Durbin PhD

  5. Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Janet Durbin PhD

Authors
  1. Lindsey George MES, MD, FRCPC
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  2. Janet Durbin PhD
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  3. Christopher J. Koegl MA
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Correspondence to Janet Durbin PhD.

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George, L., Durbin, J. & Koegl, C.J. System-Wide Implementation of ACT in Ontario: An Ongoing Improvement Effort. J Behav Health Serv Res 36, 309–319 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-008-9131-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-008-9131-5

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