Outpatient Mental Health Services SVI + (Variable-Intensity Follow-Up)

CISSSO’s outpatient mental health services for adults (aged 18 and over) in the Papineau Territory have implemented a model adapted from programs promoted by the Health and Social Services Ministry (Ministère de la santé et des services sociaux, MSSS): the “Assertive Community Treatment, ACT (Suivi intensif dans le milieu, SIM)” and “Support of Varying Intensity, SVI (Soutien d’intensité variable, SIV).” The Assertive Community Treatment covers the assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and social integration activities required by adults with severe mental disorders. The difficulties experienced by these people are such that their condition is often unstable, to the point where they require treatment as well as intensive medium- to long-term support and care from an interdisciplinary team. The ACT also includes assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and social integration activities. These specific services, offered from a recovery and rehabilitation perspective, are designed to enable a person to return to an optimal level of autonomous functioning in the community. The difficulties experienced by these people are such that they also need a medium- or long-term support through a navigator who provides individualized support for people. The Papineau program developed is a hybrid of these two programs, called SVI +. Interventions are designed to help develop people’s individual aptitudes and functional abilities to promote their autonomy and maintain a stable state of health. The program’s evidence demonstrates the success of this approach and the benefits for clients.