title: The Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) and declines in rates of assault: mixed replicated findings.
abstract: The Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) is a crisis intervention program that has been associated with providing both needed support for employee victims of patient assault and declines in rates of assaults in traditional state hospital and community mental health settings. This study examined the possible role of ASAP and declines in rates of assault in three community-based services impacted by privatization and managed care approaches: community residences, an acute care rural community mental health center, and an urban intermediate/extended care facility. ASAP was associated with a statistically significant decline in the rate of assault in the intermediate/extended care facility. The community residence program was not a true test because of structural issues associated with managed care. The community mental health center appeared to be a true failed replication. The extended care facility's decline in the rate of assault was interrupted by the aftermath of one serious clinical incident during one month and then continued to decline. The implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH), Boston 02114, USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Flannery
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marks
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Uzoma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006208:Halfway Houses / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D014754:Violence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000078329:Workforce