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Staff Turnover in Statewide Implementation of ACT: Relationship with ACT Fidelity and Other Team Characteristics

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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Staff turnover on assertive community treatment (ACT) teams is a poorly understood phenomenon. This study examined annual turnover and fidelity data collected in a statewide implementation of ACT over a 5-year period. Mean annual staff turnover across all observations was 30.0%. Turnover was negatively correlated with overall fidelity at Year 1 and 3. The team approach fidelity item was negatively correlated with staff turnover at Year 3. For 13 teams with 3 years of follow-up data, turnover rates did not change over time. Most ACT staff turnover rates were comparable or better than other turnover rates reported in the mental health and substance abuse literature.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by contracts with the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and an IP-RISP grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (R24 MH074670; Recovery Oriented Assertive Community Treatment). We thank Lia Hicks, Jennifer Wright, David McClow, and Kevin Rand for their helpful comments on an earlier draft of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, ACT Center of Indiana, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), 222 E. Ohio Street, Rm 721, Indianapolis, IN, 46204, USA

    Angela L. Rollins

  2. VA HSR&D Center on Implementing Evidence-based Practice, Roudebush VAMC, Regenstrief Institute, Inc., 1481 W. 10th Street, 11-H, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Michelle P. Salyers

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans, 950 Campbell Ave., Bldg. 36, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA

    Jack Tsai

  4. Department of Psychology, ACT Center of Indiana, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), 1481 W. 10th Street, 11-H, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Michelle P. Salyers & Jennifer M. Lydick

Authors
  1. Angela L. Rollins
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  2. Michelle P. Salyers
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  3. Jack Tsai
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  4. Jennifer M. Lydick
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Correspondence to Angela L. Rollins.

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Rollins, A.L., Salyers, M.P., Tsai, J. et al. Staff Turnover in Statewide Implementation of ACT: Relationship with ACT Fidelity and Other Team Characteristics. Adm Policy Ment Health 37, 417–426 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-009-0257-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-009-0257-4

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