Can ICM Substitute for ACT?
Intensive Case Management (ICM) is a model that has some distinct differences from ACT and requires less funding than a full-fidelity ACT team. ICM often mirrors ACT with regard to assertive, in-vivo, and time-unlimited services, but it uses case managers with individual caseloads, has no self-contained team, lacks 24/7 capacity, and brokers access to psychiatric treatment rather than providing it directly. Brokered case management is much less intensive due to larger caseloads, often office-based services, and less frequent client contact. Evidence indicates that brokered case management is ineffective (Marshall et al., 1998) whereas strengths case management appears to be effective in a small number of trials (Rapp, 2004). We have located 26 programs in 12 states that have described their ACT or ICM program as one that serves a forensic population.
