Forensic Assertive Community Treatment

Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) is Assertive Community Treatment adapted to criminal justice populations. The goal of Assertive Community Treatment is to provide high intensity services in the community to prevent future incarcerations.

Why do we need "Forensic" Assertive Community Treatment?

In King County, many individuals with severe mental illness become involved in the criminal justice system due to situations directly associated with their mental illness. The King County Jail has many individuals that return multiple times to jail for crimes that could easily be prevented if the proper level of treatment was available. The FACT program is specifically designed to address the mental health needs of these individuals, AND address their compliance issues by offering services that aim to prevent any future criminal charges.

FACT is a national cutting edge promising practice

See the National GAINS center publication, Extending Assertive Community Treatment to Criminal Justice Settings and also download this article entitled, Extending Assertive Community Treatment to Criminal Justice Settings: Origins, Current Evidence, and Future Directions and this article Forensic Assertive Community Treatment: Preventing Incarceration of Adults With Severe Mental Illness.

How referrals are made to the King County FACT program

FACT does not currently accept referrals from the community. Instead, participants are identified by the Mental Health, Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services Division and by the Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention. Individuals are identified based on their number of incarcerations. Capacity in King County for FACT services is currently at 50.

Differences between FACT and PACT

King County manages two assertive community treatment models, both of which help people with intensive needs.

Program for Assertive Community Treatment (PACT)

Comparison of PACT and FACT

For more information about FACT, contact Dave Murphy, Criminal Justice Initiatives Project Director or Jessie Benet, CJI Program Manager