Valley - Assertive Community Treatment (V-ACT) Program
Community-based group of medical, behavioral health and rehabilitation professionals who use a team approach to meet the needs of an individual with severe and persistent mental illness.
V-ACT Program (Valley - Assertive Community Treatment Program)
The V-ACT Program is a community-based therapy program for those suffering from severe and persistent mental illnesses. The V-ACT Program provides therapy, case management, medication management, nursing services, and assistance with Activities of Daily Living to individuals in their homes and in the community. Individuals in this program will also get psychiatric services, with V-ACT Program employees providing transportation to and from these visits. V-ACT is most helpful for people with serious mental illness as a method to keep them out of the hospital and in their community. The goal of this program is to improve the quality of life and access to needed supports to clients such that they require fewer inpatient psychiatric admissions.
Key Components of V-ACT
V-ACT is intended to give non-restrictive and easily accessible treatment.
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Providing out-of-office treatment in a community setting or the individual's home.
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Acting as a primary service provider for a range of treatment services
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Offering individualized treatments designed to meet each person's needs and help them reach their goals and stay well.
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Helping individuals become better integrated into their communities and gain access to needed services.
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Helping address the needs of family members who are also affected by offering support.
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Providing psychoeducation so that people can better understand their condition.
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Offering vocational support to help people acquire both life and job skills.
Who Receives V-ACT Services
If you or a family member has been assigned ACT services, you might wonder why you were chosen to receive this type of service. Below is a list of the most common reasons a person will be offered assertive community treatment services:
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Examples for common illnesses include:
Borderline Personality Disorder
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At least 3 inpatient psychiatric hospitalizations within the previous 12 months, 5 hospitalizations within the previous 24 months, or staying 180 days continuously in a psychiatric hospital.
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Individuals may have a secondary Substance Use disorder diagnosis, but all primary diagnoses must be mental health-related.
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Traumatic events are those that put you or someone close to you at risk of serious harm or death.
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Person that is homeless or experiencing homelessness. A person that may have frequent encounters with law enforcement.
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Must be over the age of 18 years old to participate in the V-ACT program.
What You Can Expect from the V-ACT Team
Once accepted into the V-ACT program, you’ll meet the V-ACT Program Manager. Valley’s V-ACT Program Manager is a highly credentialed mental health professional with years of experience and a passion for helping all. The V-ACT Program Manager leads a team of Service Coordinators, Therapists, Nurses, and Specialists committed to quality care.
Service Coordinators are committed to helping individuals live their best lives by treating each case with positivity and compassion. Service Coordinators create the individual’s treatment plan based on their needs and goals for quality life. They provide linkage and referral to necessary community resources to support individuals and serve as a primary contact between the individual and the rest of their team.
Therapists provide both individual and group therapy sessions to individuals, like our Outpatient therapists, but they do it in the community, meeting the individuals where they are at. They use a variety of therapy models to help individuals manage their symptoms, help them process trauma, organize their thoughts, develop coping skills, and live the highest quality of life.
The Nurses will help educate individuals on their medications and provide them with their daily, weekly, or monthly supplies as appropriate for the individual’s success. Our Nurses also provide injections as prescribed and serve as liaisons between individuals and other medical professionals.
Our V-ACT Specialists are integral in transporting individuals out into the community to doctor’s appointments, grocery stores, socialization activities, etc. These Specialists support individuals in their activities of daily living and provide opportunities to practice those skills learned in individual and group therapy.
The Program Manager, Service Coordinators, Therapists, Nurses, and Specialists work together to serve the individual. They meet daily to discuss all clients and their needs, review their services, and plan treatment activities for the day. You can expect a daily service from your V-ACT team, either through behind-the-scenes actions or through telephone, telehealth, or face-to-face treatment.
For more information about our V-ACT Program, please contact the V-ACT Program Manager:
George Mickey, MA, LP
304-296-1731