Mobile Treatment Services for People Living with Serious Mental Illnesses
People living with serious mental illnesses, substance use disorders, and other behavioral health needs are disproportionately criminalized and incarcerated in New York City—over half of people incarcerated on Rikers Island have a mental illness, and at least one in five have a serious mental illness. Inadequate behavioral health treatment combined with the emotional and physical trauma experienced in jails and prisons results in a decline in overall wellness as well as significant challenges reentering the community for people with mental illnesses and substance use disorders.
CASES Mobile Behavioral Health Services staff meet New Yorkers in their communities, including in their homes, in shelters, on the streets, or in hospitals—anywhere they feel comfortable or need support to address their needs. Our Mobile Behavioral Health Services features 14 State-licensed, evidence-based mobile treatment teams, including seven Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams and seven Intensive Mobile Treatment (IMT) teams, working across all five boroughs to provide 24/7 psychiatric, nursing, social work, and peer services to support the recovery and wellness of New Yorkers with behavioral health needs who have been impacted by involvement in the City’s criminal legal system.
Impact
By meeting people in their communities, CASES Mobile Behavioral Health Services furthers healing, recovery, and success.
In 2023, Mobile Behavioral Health:
- Delivered 40,320 individual services to people in the community across all IMT, FACT, and ACT teams—this high level of engagement speaks to CASES’ commitment to meet our clients wherever they are at, whenever they have need, however they prefer to access care.
According to NYS Office of Mental Health Public ACT Dashboards, as of early 2024, CASES Nathaniel ACT:
- Reduced homelessness by 56%
- Reduced psychiatric hospitalization by 52%
- Reduced criminal legal system involvement by 36%
Mobile Behavioral Health Programs
Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) & Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT)
CASES operates two Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and three Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) teams. Both programs are designed to support individuals with serious mental illness in the community, with the FACT teams specializing in services for individuals with current or previous criminal legal system involvement, including those reintegrating into the community from state prison. Eligibility: Adults with serious mental illnesses. FACT participants must also have recent criminal legal system involvement.
Nathaniel Assertive Community Treatment Alternative-To-Incarceration (ATI)
CASES Nathaniel ACT team is the only ACT ATI team in New York City, serving individuals who meet ACT criteria and have criminal legal involvement in Manhattan and Brooklyn criminal courts. The Nathaniel ACT team serves individuals residing in all 5 boroughs of New York City.
Eligibility: Adults with serious mental illnesses who have court cases in Manhattan or Brooklyn criminal courts and are eligible for alternative-to-incarceration
Young Adult Assertive Community Treatment (YA ACT)
CASES YA ACT team is the only ACT team in New York City specializing in delivering mobile mental health and substance use treatment services for young adults (age 18 to 25) in the Bronx with serious mental illness. To make a referral, complete the YA ACT Referral Form.
Eligibility: Young adults with serious mental illness
Intensive Mobile Treatment (IMT)
CASES operates seven IMT teams delivering mobile mental health and substance use treatment for people with complex behavioral health needs, unstable housing, and/or involvement in the criminal legal system.
Eligibility: Adults with behavioral health needs and involvement in the criminal legal system