For Jane* and Sam, Assertive Community Treatment teams, known as ACT, continue to make a difference in their lives on the Downtown Eastside (DTES). The multidisciplinary teams are bringing health care and life-skills support to clients who have complex care needs, struggle to maintain stable housing, and are challenged with ongoing mental illness and substance use.

In collaboration with the Vancouver Police Department and BC Housing, the teams have helped over 230 clients since 2011. In most cases, these individuals have had better health outcomes and a significant decrease in connections with the criminal justice system.

As part of the provincial Mental Health Action Plan, two new ACT teams were created, bringing our total number of teams to five.

“With the right mix of support and programs even our most challenging and complex clients are able to reintegrate into society in a meaningful way, says George Scotton, manager of the ACT teams. “I can say with confidence that the vast majority of our clients do experience improved quality of life thanks to their association with one of our ACT teams.”

Jane’s story

Jane, an older client living on Vancouver’s DTES, met the ACT team when she was in the midst of being evicted from a shelter. Her verbal – and at times physical – aggression toward community health workers made it hard to provide her with services. She was actively using crystal meth and crack cocaine to cope with her past sexual, emotional and physical abuse.

For two years, ACT met with Jane four or more times a week, always employing a trauma-sensitive approach. Eventually, if ACT was running late for an appointment, she would call to find out where they were and complain about their tardiness.

The relationship developed and Jane became an active participant in her own recovery. She identified housing that met her health needs, virtually eliminated drug use from her life and began volunteering at a community drop-in centre. She is a valued tenant and serves as a peer support to other tenants in the building. The ACT team still visits her once a week.

Sam’s story

The ACT team first met Sam, a middle-aged man living in a Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotel on the DTES, when he had just been discharged from the emergency department for the 60^th time that year.  He struggled with suicidal thoughts due to early childhood trauma and re-traumatization living on the DTES.

ACT’s engagement with Sam had its ups and downs: one day Sam would be optimistic about his future, and the next he would slam the door in the team’s face. After the first eight months, Sam stopped slamming the door and began to tell the ACT team why he was going to the hospital. They were able to meet his needs in the community instead.

Now in a supported housing environment with trained on-site staff, his yearly hospital admissions have dropped substantially – from more than 100 visits to 12 last year, and once this year. Sam still meets with ACT once a week.

For more about the ACT teams, read the Ministry of Health’s news release Vancouver ACT teams reduce ER visits by 70%.

*Client names have been changed.

Celebrate Mental Health Week: May 5-11

Read more about the great work of our teams across VCH as we celebrate Mental Health Week:

• Breaking the cycle – A VCH researcher looks at how depression and chronic pain affect each other.
• The “heart and soul” of the mental health and addiction team – The first regional orientation session for mental health and addiction staff – called Heart & Soul – welcomed new hires to the team and discussed topics that impact practice.
• Walk a Mile event – The Walk-a Mile for Mental Health event began 25 years ago at Riverview Hospital, and last year it was hosted for the first time at the new VGH Willow Pavilion site.