Integral Care has been awarded the full SAMHSA Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) grant ($1M per year over 4 years). The funding will be used to develop an AOT program to bridge the gap between inpatient and outpatient mental health services, improve treatment outcomes and reduce incidence of inpatient psychiatric and reduce criminal justice involvement. The Austin AOT program presents a practice and evidence-based intervention designed to promote treatment adherence, empower client engagement in managing their care, reduce inpatient bed stays and involvement with the criminal justice system. The population of focus for the program will be adult clients in Travis County who are persistently struggle with adherence to needed treatment for their mental illness and meet criteria for AOT under Texas state law.

The program will bring together Integral Care, Travis County Probate Court, Travis County Clerk’s Office and Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin to establish a framework for identification, referral and the care and treatment of clients living with serious mental illness. Other community partners include NAMI Central Texas, Austin State Hospital and Travis County Sheriff’s Office. All client treatment plans will employ a recovery-oriented approach. Specifically, plans will include motivational interviewing strategies, psychiatric advanced directives, and collaborative, individually tailored plans of recovery.

Our sincere thanks to the large group of stakeholders who supported the AOT application, including the Travis County Attorney’s Office, Austin Lakes Hospital, Housing Authority of the City of Austin and Disability Rights Texas.