A Randomized Controlled Trial of Assertive Community Treatment in a Canadian Inner City Setting

Principal: Donald Wasylenki
Location: Toronto

This project will evaluate two models of intensive case management (an assertive community treatment team, CONTACT, and a partnership model, Community Connections) for an inner-city population of persons with severe and persistent mental illness. It is designed as a randomized controlled trial, with measurements to be taken over an 18-month period. The project will:

• Determine if assertive community treatment can be implemented in a Canadian inner city, and is beneficial to users with severe and persistent mental illness.
• Determine if such programs can be implemented in a Canadian inner city, and are beneficial to users with severe and persistent mental illness.
• Determine the impact of the programs on utilization of mental health services.
• Compare the costs of the two programs.
• Evaluate the impact on clients of their participation in the programs.

Outcome variables will include clinical status, quality of life, social functioning, hospital service utilization, substance abuse, community integration, empowerment, homelessness, insight, suicidality and satisfaction with services. Qualitative data examining the experiences of both clients and staff members in the programs will also be collected and analyzed.