When severe mental illness makes everyday life feel unmanageable, the right support can change everything. Anuvia’s Assertive Community Treatment Team (ACTT) brings that support directly to you, whether at home, at work, or wherever you are in the Charlotte community. As part of our role as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), our multidisciplinary team provides psychiatric care, substance use treatment, and wraparound community services, not from a waiting room, but from within the community where you live your life.
Assertive Community Treatment isn’t a program you come to. It’s a program that comes to you. Rather than relying on clinic visits or hospital stays, ACT brings a full team of psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, and specialists directly into the community, meeting people where they are instead of asking them to navigate a system that can feel overwhelming.
At Anuvia, our ACT model focuses on four things that make a real difference in people’s lives: helping individuals become active members of their community, building the life skills needed for greater independence, reducing the cycle of crisis hospitalizations, and providing the practical support needed to find and keep stable housing. These aren’t abstract goals. They’re the outcomes we work toward with every person in our care.
The ACT model is particularly beneficial for individuals who:
Our ACTT offers far more than psychiatric care alone. Because severe mental illness touches every part of a person’s life, our services are designed to meet people across all of it, from managing medications and coordinating medical care to finding stable housing and pursuing employment. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Comprehensive Assessments & Follow-Ups
When a new client enters the ACT program, an initial assessment is performed to gather information about their psychiatric history, current symptoms, and psychosocial factors. From there, specialists tailor treatments to best support the client and conduct follow-up assessments to monitor progress.
Psychiatric Care
Access to psychiatric care is a core component of ACT. Psychiatric specialists diagnose mental health conditions, manage medications, and provide ongoing support.
Health Services Coordination
Individuals with severe mental illness often face the added challenge of managing chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis, hypertension, and hepatitis C. By organizing and integrating care across providers, ACT ensures comprehensive medical support.
Substance Use Treatment
Approximately half of those with a mental illness will also face a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. Recognizing this connection, substance use treatment centers are designed to help individuals manage their substance use while simultaneously addressing their underlying mental health needs.
Intensive Case Management
Case managers play a crucial role in helping individuals manage day-to-day challenges and connect with necessary resources, from psychiatric care to social services.
Personal Care & Skills Training
Personal care and skills training focuses on essential competencies such as cooking, managing personal hygiene, and building and maintaining relationships. Helping clients build these skills helps them live independently.
Housing Assistance
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, about 25 to 30% of individuals experiencing homelessness also have a severe mental illness. To support clients in finding and maintaining housing, ACT helps locate affordable housing and secure rental assistance.
Education Assistance
Education assistance focuses on helping individuals pursue personal goals and find stable employment. This support may include help obtaining high school diplomas/GEDs or pursuing higher education or vocational training.
Employment Support
Employment support is another critical service provided by ACT. This includes job training, job search assistance, and ongoing support once employment is secured. By helping individuals maintain meaningful employment, ACT promotes a sense of purpose and achievement.
Benefits Assistance
ACT provides assistance in applying for and managing public benefits such as financial assistance, healthcare coverage, and other critical resources.
Education on Mental Health & Medication Management
To empower clients to take an active role in treatment, individuals receive guidance on understanding their conditions, the importance of medication adherence, and strategies for managing symptoms.
At Anuvia, we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to severe mental illness, and our ACTT reflects that. Our team keeps caseloads intentionally low so that every person in the program receives real, individualized attention rather than being managed from a distance. When someone’s circumstances change, we can respond quickly rather than waiting for the next scheduled appointment.
Our team meets daily to review each person’s progress, talk through challenges, and adjust care plans as needed. Over time, these consistent relationships build the kind of trust that makes treatment more effective. We’re also available 24/7/365 because mental health crises don’t follow business hours, and we place no time limits on services. You receive support for as long as you need it.
The research on ACT is clear, but the impact is best understood in everyday terms. People in ACT programs experience fewer psychiatric hospitalizations because crises are caught and managed before they escalate. Symptoms become more manageable with consistent, continuous care rather than sporadic treatment. And perhaps most importantly, people report a better quality of life, with more independence, stronger daily functioning, and greater engagement with the people and activities that matter to them.
Housing stability is another significant outcome. By combining practical housing assistance with ongoing mental health support, ACT reduces homelessness among people with severe mental illness, one of the most vulnerable populations in any community. At Anuvia, these outcomes aren’t just statistics. They’re the measure of whether we’re doing our job.
As a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, Anuvia offers a full continuum of care beyond ACTT. Whether you or a loved one needs outpatient treatment, residential care, or mental health counseling, our team is here to help you find the right level of support.
Mental Health Services
For individuals struggling with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, Anuvia provides mental health counseling through tele-health.
Outpatient Treatment
Our outpatient drug and alcohol treatment program provides flexible, personalized care to support your recovery while allowing you to maintain daily routines.
Residential Treatment
Residential treatment at Anuvia provides comprehensive, 24/7 care for individuals struggling with severe substance use disorders, including those seeking alcohol rehab inpatient services.
Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Psychosocial rehabilitation helps individuals with serious mental illness develop essential skills for community living, learning, and working.
Support Groups
Our support groups provide a collaborative environment where individuals can connect with others, share experiences, and gain strength from community support, including those seeking alcohol addiction help.
What is the purpose of Assertive Community Treatment?
ACT exists to support people with severe mental illness in living full, stable lives within their own communities. Rather than cycling through hospitalizations or relying on institutional care, ACT provides the consistent, wraparound support people need to manage their conditions and work toward their own goals.
What are Assertive Community Treatment Teams?
An ACTT is a multidisciplinary group of psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, case managers, and other specialists who work together to deliver coordinated, individualized care. Rather than seeing a single provider, clients benefit from a full team that communicates daily and adjusts care plans as needs evolve.
How long does Assertive Community Treatment last?
There’s no predetermined endpoint for ACT. Services continue for as long as they’re needed, allowing each person to progress at their own pace without the pressure of an artificial timeline.
How do I find an Assertive Community Treatment program?
If you’re in the Charlotte area, Anuvia’s ACTT may be a fit for you or your loved one. You can also contact local mental health organizations, community health centers, or visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website to locate ACT programs in other areas of North Carolina.
The ACTT at Anuvia offers a lifeline for individuals struggling with severe mental illness. By providing a suite of community mental health services, we ensure that clients receive the care needed to thrive. To learn more about the transformative power of our comprehensive approach, contact us online or call 704-376-7447.
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