PART I - Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental ...

Assertive Community Treatmentsubcontractor/1099 employee). See Item 2 above.ClinicalOperations1. Individuals receiving this service must have a qualifying diagnosis present in the medical record prior to the initiation of services. The verified diagnosis must begiven by persons identified in O.C.G.A Practice Acts as qualified to provide a diagnosis. These practitioners include a licensed psychologist, a physician or a PA orAPRN (NP and CNS-PMH) working in conjunction with a physician with an approved job description or protocol.2. ACT Teams must incorporate assertive engagement techniques to identify, engage, and retain the most difficult to engage consumers which include using streetoutreach approaches and legal mechanisms such as outpatient commitment and collaboration with parole and probation officers.ClinicalOperations,continued3. Because ACT-eligible individuals may be difficult to engage, the initial treatment/recovery plan for an individual may be more generic at the onset oftreatment/support. It is expected that the treatment plan be individualized and recovery-oriented after the team becomes engaged with the individual and comes toknow the individual. The allowance for “generic” content of the IRP shall not extend beyond one initial authorization period.4. Because many individuals served may have a mental illness and co-occurring addiction disorder, the ACT team may not discontinue services to any individual basedsolely upon a relapse in his/her addiction recovery.5. ACT Teams must be designed to deliver services in various environments, such as homes, schools, homeless shelters, and street locations. The provider shouldkeep in mind that individuals may prefer to meet staff at a community location other than their homes or other conspicuous locations (e.g. their place of employmentor school), especially if staff drive a vehicle that is clearly marked as a state or agency vehicle, or if staff must identify themselves and their purpose to gain access tothe individual in a way that may potentially embarrass the individual or breech the individual’s privacy/confidentiality. Staff should be sensitive to and respectful ofindividuals’ privacy/confidentiality rights and preferences in this regard to the greatest extent possible (e.g. if staff must meet with an individual during their work time,mutually agree upon a meeting place nearby that is the least conspicuous from the individual’s point of view).6. The organization must have policies that govern the provision of services in natural settings and can document that it respects consumers’ and/or families’ right toprivacy and confidentiality when services are provided in those settings.7. Each ACT provider must have policies and procedures governing the provision of outreach services, including methods for protecting the safety of staff that engagein outreach activities.8. The organization must have established procedures/protocols for handling emergency and crisis situations that describe methods for supporting and handlingindividuals who require psychiatric hospitalization and/or crisis stabilization.9. The organization must have an Assertive Community Treatment Organizational Plan that addresses the following descriptions:a. Particular rehabilitation, recovery and resource coordination models utilized, types of intervention practiced, and typical daily schedule for staffb. Staffing pattern and how staff are deployed to assure that the required staff-to-consumer ratios are maintained, including how unplanned staff absences,illnesses, and emergencies are accommodatedc. Hours of operation, the staff assigned, and types of services provided to consumers, families, and/or guardiansd. How the plan for services is modified or adjusted to meet the needs specified in the Individualized Recovery Plane. Inter-team communication plan regarding consumer support (e.g., e-mail, team staffings, staff safety plan such as check-in protocols etc.)f. A physical health management plang. How the organization will integrate consumers into the community including assisting consumers in preparing for employmenth. How the organization (team) will respond to crisis for individuals served.10. The ACT team is expected to work with informal support systems at least 2 to 4 times a month with or without the consumer present to provide support and skilltraining as necessary to assist the consumer in his or her recovery (i.e., family, landlord, employers, probation officers). If the consumer is not an engaged participantin this contact, the service shall not be billed.FY2013 Provider Manual for Community Behavioral Health Providers Page 100