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Committee hears about need for staff for assertive community treatment and rising 988 demand
Summary
Jennifer Rush told the Health and Wellness Advisory Committee that efforts to stand up an evidence-based Assertive Community Treatment team are underway, but recruitment for a master’s-level team lead and addiction-trained therapists has been slow.
Jennifer Rush told the Health and Wellness Advisory Committee on Jan. 8 that organizers are working to expand an assertive community treatment (ACT) team in the Charleston and Dorchester area but are encountering recruitment challenges.
Rush described the ACT model as “an intensive team that includes a nurse, a doctor, a peer support specialist, a couple different kinds of therapists, care coordinators.” She said the team serves people in their homes and communities, carries small caseloads, staffs daily and provides wraparound services intended to keep high-needs patients on medications, connected to housing and out of the hospital.
Rush said hiring for a ACT team lead (a master’s-level therapist) and addiction-competent therapists has produced few applicants. She described the role as an opportunity for clinicians to gain experience working with complex community-based patients within a multidisciplinary team.
Rush also reminded the committee that South Carolina’s 988 crisis line activity has increased. She said the state now has two primary call centers, each serving roughly half the state, and that call volumes are rising. Committee members and staff discussed outreach and shared resources to help publicize openings and promote 988.
No formal action or votes were taken; Rush asked partners to share job postings and to spread the word.
