Students often face increasing challenges and crises during the course of any given semester. A vast majority of these situations are ineffectively managed by the student, and develop into more serious problems. Many students have difficulties in managing stress, successfully navigating campus resources, and asking for help. As a result, academic success is compromised as evidenced by attendance/participation problems, late or missing coursework, low grades, academic alerts, and discouraged self-perceptions. After watching these patterns for years, I believe that some students need a higher level of care (or intervention) to support them through these “rough patches.”

So, what might that look like? To begin with, I was inspired to propose an academic intervention strategy by reviewing a model of evidence based practice grounded in community mental health. The mental health field has long recognized the importance of purposeful individualized intervention with persons experiencing chronic mental illness. One strategy, known as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) has been instrumental in improving treatment outcomes. ACT is an evidence-based practice that offers treatment and support services to individuals that have been diagnosed with persistent mental illness. Of note, many college students today report symptoms consistent with chronic psychiatric conditions. Could we apply a variant of this support model to working with persons who are experiencing persistent academic distress? I believe so.

ACT might include such interventions as assertive outreach, referral to specialized treatment services, vocational support, family education, peer support, and community networking. Likewise, an Assertive Community Intervention (ACI) in an academic setting might offer assertive outreach, referral to mental health or AOD services, financial education, vocational support, and campus or community connections. Essentially, these activities are consistent with effective case management which could be overseen by an academic advisor, an intervention specialist, a peer mentor, or a team of student success partners. This paradigm is consistent with the premises of case management and holistic student supports evident in Guided Pathways models. Further, this approach intentionally aims to keep students “on their path.”

Objectives of this presentation are: a) to assist attendees in identifying those students in need of Assertive Community Intervention; b) to orient attendees to the principles and skills of case management, holistic student supports, and Assertive Community Intervention; and c) to aid attendees in examining current advisement practices, and to consider more assertive options