BMJ  2007;335:311-312 (18 August), doi:10.1136/bmj.39293.687674.AD

Editorials

Assertive community treatment in psychiatry

May not reduce inpatient visits, but its success in engaging marginalised patients should not be ignored

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Assertive community treatment is a specific model of intensive community mental health care and a key component of the national service framework for mental health in England. Over 220 new teams using this model have been implemented since 1999.¹ Assertive community treatment originated in the United States, evolving from a pioneering approach to delivery of treatment for people with mental health problems in the community.² The treatment has been extensively researched. Good evidence exists for its efficacy outside the United Kingdom,³ but results in England have been disappointing.^{4 5 6 7} Possible reasons for this include differences in adherence to assertive community treatment and differences between the US and the UK in the comparison group of standard community mental health care.^{8 9} However, even in the UK, clients seen as being "difficult to engage" (those with whom community mental health services have found it difficult to arrange meetings) find assertive community treatment more acceptable . . . [Full text of this article]

Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London, London NW3 2PF

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Rapid Responses:

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Editorial misses the point

Roger L Weeks
bmj.com, 20 Aug 2007 [Full text]

Community Mental Health Teams can provide assertive treatment function

Walter M Braude
bmj.com, 20 Aug 2007 [Full text]

Assertive Community Treatment- A wasted Opportunity?

Thomas E Elanjithara, et al.
bmj.com, 21 Aug 2007 [Full text]

Assertive Community Treatment

Keith Greenlaw
bmj.com, 22 Aug 2007 [Full text]

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