Assertive Community Treatment: Melissa

Melissa is 22 years old. She enjoys writing short stories and sharing them with others. Melissa has struggled with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder since she was sixteen years old. She was hospitalized 18 times between her sixteenth and nineteenth birthdays. Melissa received quality care when she was hospitalized. When she was released from the hospital, she had difficulty managing her symptoms.

After Melissa turned 19, Melissa’s mother, Claire, discovered Assertive Community Treatment (ACT). Claire requested support from an ACT team near their home. In the last three years, the ACT team has helped Melissa to remember to take her medications regularly. They make sure she has a ride to appointments. They also helped her find work and manage her symptoms at work. Now she lives in her own apartment. She receives support from team members related to cooking and food preparation, grocery shopping, and to paying her bills.

Over the last year, Melissa decreased the amount of support she receives from her ACT team. She is living independently in the community with some ongoing support from her team. Melissa will continue to receive help from the ACT team whenever she needs it so that she can live in her local community near her family and friends. Both Melissa and Claire know that the ACT team can be contacted if Melissa has a crisis. Claire keeps in close contact with Melissa, but she is pleased to know that there are professionals monitoring Melissa’s care as Melissa continues to grow and thrive.