Results of Forensic Assertive Community Treatment in Belgium After 33 Months

Abstract

Introduction

Forensic adaptations of assertive community treatment (ACT) remain understudied in Europe, whereas promising results emerge from the United States. There is a need for research into the effectiveness of ForACT outside the United States, as Europe differs greatly in terms of organisation of mental health and judicial system.

Objective

Investigating effectiveness of forensic adaptations of ACT in the area of Flanders, Belgium. Outcome measures are divided into forensic, like arrests or incarcerations, and non-forensic, like admissions and length of stay.

Aims

Investigating effectiveness of ForACT on forensic and non-forensic outcome measures as well as factors related to outcome. A third outcome is community tenure, which is the actual number of days divided by the potential number of days spent in the community.

Methods

A controlled cohort study was designed over with first results at 33 months. The experimental group consists of a new ForACT team in the area of Flanders, Belgium (n = 70). Patients are admitted from prison, psychiatric hospitals or other community-based care. The control group consists of mentally ill offenders in community-based treatment after release from prison (n = 56).

Results

Results on forensic measures and community tenure are promising in favour of the ForACT team. In contrast, clients are often, though shortly, readmitted into psychiatric residential care. Substance use emerges as the main reason for admissions.

Conclusions

A local forensic adaptation of ACT reveals promising results on forensic outcome measures, yet suffers a large number of admissions.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.