The Role of Probation in Forensic Assertive Community Treatment

Abstract

Objective Forensic assertive community treatment (FACT) is an adaptation of the assertive community treatment model designed to prevent criminal recidivism through criminal justice collaborations. A national survey was conducted to examine FACT collaborations with probation departments. Methods Members of the National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors were surveyed to identify FACT programs. Programs reporting collaborations with probation departments were contacted to provide details. Results Fifty-six percent of FACT programs (15 of 27) reported collaborating with probation departments. Probation officers were assigned an average of 29±16 hours weekly, and 80% of programs (12 of 15) reported a favorable impact of collaboration on risk of patient rearrest. Only two programs reported using standard tools to formally assess recidivism risk. The most common barrier to collaboration was differences in philosophy between FACT team clinicians and probation officers. Conclusions FACT collaborations involving probation departments are common and are viewed by most program leaders as helpful in reducing criminal recidivism.

Envisioning the next generation of behavioral health and criminal justice interventions

“…FICM programs emphasize linking to and coordination of services over direct service provision. Both FACT and FICM programs occasionally work in conjunction with local probation departments to coordinate both the mental health and criminal justice systems' expectations for engagement in mental health treatment (Lamberti, Deem, Weisman, & Laduke, 2011). …”

Patient Experiences of Autonomy and Coercion While Receiving Legal Leverage in Forensic Assertive Community Treatment

“…26 To prevent arrest and incarceration, FACT modifies the ACT model by incorporating intervention strategies that target risk factors for criminal recidivism and by developing criminal justice partnerships for the purpose of utilizing legal leverage to promote treatment engagement. [27][28][29] Focus groups were conducted with the aim of learning how clients themselves experience legal leverage and if there are ways to more effectively promote their active participation in treatment. All focus group participants had either received or were receiving legal leverage in the form of judicial monitoring at the time that the focus groups were conducted.…”

Diversion at re‐entry using criminogenic CBT: Review and prototypical program development

“…There is an increasing number of partnerships between specialty mental health organizations and community corrections. For instance, forensic assertive community treatment (FACT), an offshoot of the assertive community treatment (ACT) movement, seeks to improve outcomes for justice‐involved clients with severe mental illness through collaboration between mental health treatment providers and criminal justice agencies, such as probation and parole (Lamberti, Deem, Weisman, & LaDuke, ). Such partnerships promote treatment adherence via legal influence and provide criminal justice agencies with access to rehabilitative alternatives to standard sanctions (Lamberti et al ., , ).…”

“…For instance, forensic assertive community treatment (FACT), an offshoot of the assertive community treatment (ACT) movement, seeks to improve outcomes for justice‐involved clients with severe mental illness through collaboration between mental health treatment providers and criminal justice agencies, such as probation and parole (Lamberti, Deem, Weisman, & LaDuke, ). Such partnerships promote treatment adherence via legal influence and provide criminal justice agencies with access to rehabilitative alternatives to standard sanctions (Lamberti et al ., , ). Although there are differences between individual programs (e.g., whether they admit individuals with who have committed certain types of offenses), there is also significant common ground (Lamberti et al ., ).…”