EPA-0311 – The China Shenzhen Act Team: Development and Description of its Creation from the Experience of a Consultant

Abstract

Introduction:

Professor Liu, President of Shenzhen Kangning Hospital, came to Canada in 2008 and learned that Assertive Community Treatment Team (hospital without walls) might be one of the solutions to the shortage of inpatient beds. I was invited to conduct site visits, consultations, training sessions and workshops for the mental health professionals in Shenzhen since 2009. Doctors and administrative staff from Shenzhen were sent to Toronto, Canada to learn about the program implementation. Finally the Shenzhen ACT in China was established in November 2012.

Objectives:

To describe the development and adaptation of ACT model in Shenzhen China. To report the success and challenges of ACTT development in China.

Methodology:

To define the history and the purpose, its principles, its internal structure, the team composition, team dynamics, the target population, its characteristics of Shenzhen ACT within the demographic context. I will share my subjective experience regarding my observation, my perspectives and a brief comparison with ACT Teams in Toronto, Canada will be highlighted.

Results:

The China Shenzhen ACT Team was born in an institutional context where the community mental health care was still novel and not having enough infrastructures to support the work.

Conclusions:

The Shenzhen ACT Team is the first ACT in China to experience the effectiveness and efficiency in taking care of severe mentally ill patients in the community. They have successfully implemented ACT service with the support from the hospital, municipal government and the neighbourhood community.