Intensive residential treatment (IRT) teams

Intensive residential treatment (IRT) teams work with individuals discharging or diverting from state hospitals or long-term hospitalizations who need wraparound support. The teams help those struggling to remain in community settings such as adult family homes (AFH) or assisted living facilities.

IRT teams are the primary mental health provider and use elements from assertive community treatment (ACT) to provide intensive wraparound mental health care to the individual in their facility, helping them transition to a lower level of care.

The teams

IRT teams provide services five days a week based on needs of the person. They work with individuals who live in adult family homes or assisted living facilities after discharge or diversion from a state hospital or long-term hospitalization. Services are delivered where the client lives or other appropriate community setting.

Each team consists of:

  • A dedicated prescriber (availability and hours to be determined) or (prescriber will be available part-time)
  • Full-time registered nurses (RN)
  • Full-time mental health providers (MHP)
  • Full-time peer counselors

The teams provide recovery-based treatment designed to promote stability, safety, and help the individual transition to a lower level of care. They also provide medication management to the clients and primary mental health services based on individual need. The entire team is trained in some form of cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBT-p) based on their qualifications.

Pilot program

HCA is piloting a discharge wraparound service program which helps individuals transition into an Aging and Long Term Supports Administration (ALTSA) licensed facility.

Four teams were selected to be funded by the legislature based on regional need and interest. These teams started providing services during the summer and fall of 2020. These teams are located and operated by the following:

  • Great Rivers: Community Integrated Health Services
  • King: Recovery International
  • Pierce: Recovery International
  • Spokane: Passages Family Support