Filed under: research
For persons with severe mental illness, the transition from assertive community treatment (ACT) to less intensive services is a vulnerable period during which enhanced support is especially vital. The ACT Transitions Model, adapted in part from CTI, is a framework designed to enhance the coordination and continuity of care of service recipients who are moving from ACT to less intensive services. A workgroup of stakeholders developed the model to be delivered in the following three phases over a nine-month period: (1) Transition Planning, (2) Try-Out, and (3) Fine Tuning, Transfer of Care and Follow-up. The stakeholder workgroup included ACT staff and consumers as well as representatives of the New York State Office of Mental Health and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The model will be piloted and evaluated over the next two years. The project is a New York State Office of Mental Health initiative funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation (PI, Molly Finnerty, M.D.) For further information, contact Jennifer Manuel at coevjim@omh.state.ny.us or 212.543.5164.
April 3, 2009
Lisa Dixon of the University of Maryland and colleagues have published a new experimental study assessing the effectiveness of a brief three-month adaptation of CTI in enhancing continuity of outpatient psychiatric treatment for persons with serious mental illness following discharge from inpatient care. Among the findings were that, compared with the control group, persons assigned to receive the intervention had significantly fewer days between their hospital discharge and their first outpatient service. The authors conclude that the intervention successfully promoted post-discharge continuity of care, but caution that the limited association between improved continuity and improved patient outcomes requires further study.
April 2, 2009
Conceptualizing discharge from psychiatric emergency rooms (ER) as a “critical time” of transition, researchers at New York State Psychiatric Institute have launched Project Connect, a pilot program that adapts CTI for frequent users at New York Presbyterian Hospital, home to one of New York City’s busiest psychiatric emergency departments. In evaluating Project Connect, the research team will compare outcomes of persons receiving CTI services with those receiving usual care in order to determine whether the model decreases psychiatric ER visits and increases engagement in outpatient care among participants. A particularly innovative aspect of the study is its use of specially trained peer workers to deliver the CTI intervention. The project is supported with a grant from the New York State Health Foundation. For further details, contact Dr. Ilana Nossel who heads the study at irn1@columbia.edu
February 21, 2009
German researchers based at Ulm University are conducting a multi-site randomized trial testing a brief intervention intended to ehance continuity of care for high utilizers of psychiatric services following discharge from inpatient treatment. Although the research team notes that the study was partially inspired by CTI, the model they are employing differs from CTI in its emphasis on discharge planning and follow-up monitoring rather than provision of direct staff support during the post-discharge period. The researchers hope that the intervention will lead to a reduction in future inpatient stays and better quality of life and clinical outcome. Details on the study design were reported recently in BMC Health Services Research.
January 16, 2009
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