Section 440IAC11-3-4. ACT admission and discharge criteria

   (a) All individuals admitted to ACT must meet the following criteria:

(1) Be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

(2) Meet the division criteria for persons with serious mental illness as defined in 440 IAC 8-2-2.

(3) Require intensive, community based services as specified in the admission criteria for ACT, which shall include an assessment of the following:

(A) Level of need based on the adult needs and strengths assessment tool or its successor.

(B) Discharge from a state psychiatric hospital within the previous twelve (12) months.

(C) Other psychiatric hospitalizations in the previous two (2) years.

(D) Criminal justice or legal system involvement.

(E) Co-occurring substance abuse.

(F) Homelessness or imminent risk of homelessness.

  (b) An individual must meet the diagnostic criteria specified in section 3(c) of this rule.

  (c) When an individual is discharged from ACT to less intensive services, a discharge plan must provide for the following:

(1) A gradual transfer period.

(2) A plan to maintain continuity of treatment at appropriate levels of intensity to support the individual's continued recovery.

(3) A plan for the individual's return to the ACT team if needed.

  (d) Individuals may be readmitted to ACT based on the following criteria:

(1) If the individual was discharged from ACT within the past twelve (12) months, any of the following has occurred within sixty (60) days prior to readmission:

(A) A psychiatric hospitalization or emergency room visit.

(B) A hospitalization or an emergency room visit as a result of substance abuse.

(C) An arrest or other law enforcement contact.

(D) Homelessness or risk of homelessness.

(E) Admission to a subacute stabilization facility.

(2) If the individual was discharged from ACT more than twelve (12) months prior to readmission, at least one (1) of the conditions in subsection (a)(3) has been met.

  (e) Each CMHC must have specific procedures for the transfer of an individual from one (1) ACT team to another, either within a CMHC or to another CMHC. These procedures must, at a minimum, specify the steps to be taken to ensure that:

(1) the individual meets with the new team; and

(2) information from the individual's clinical record information is appropriately shared with the new team.

  (f) Discharges from ACT services shall be in accordance with division-approved criteria, which includes an assessment of the following:

(1) The level of need based on the current division-approved assessment tool.

(2) The criteria for admission to ACT.

(3) The stages of change.

(4) The continued medical necessity for high intensity, community-based care.

(Division of Mental Health and Addiction; 440 IAC 11-3-4; filed Feb 9, 2011, 10:24 a.m.: 20110309-IR-440090875FRA)