Substance Use in Forensic Assertive Community Treatment: Development and Implementation of a Pilot Project for Internees in Belgium

Abstract

Substance use is a significant factor associated with new arrests, detentions and compulsory admissions for patients in forensic assertive community teams (FACT). To enhance community tenure for forensic patients and facilitate their sustainable integration into society, a treatment that offers a community-based alternative to admission following substance use was developed. In this paper, the development of the project, FENIX + is described along with the reporting of a pilot study of all included patients during 12 months (N = 24). Recidivism risk and community integration were assessed utilizing the Short-Term Risk Assessment and Treatability (START) as well as the Measurements in Addiction for Triage and Evaluation (MATE) scales. The included patients avoided 60% of admissions, exhibited positive changes in their desire for assistance, and successfully reduced their risk of recidivism. By accessing the community-based alternative, they were able to delay admissions effectively. These promising results suggest that a community-based treatment could benefit patients at risk of reoffending following substance use.