Table 1.

Comparison of service provision in “classic” assertive outreach, assertive outreach as implemented in Lower Saxony and treatment as usual (TAU) in mental health care in Lower Saxony and Germany

Characteristics of service	“Classic ” assertive outreach according to DACT-Scale*	Assertive outreach in Lower Saxony	Treatment as usual (TAU) in Lower Saxony/Germany
Target population	Patients suffering Severe Mental Illness (SMI), high users of mental health services	Patients diagnosed with Schizophrenia	Patients diagnosed with any mental illness
Involved service providers	Multiprofessional: Psychiatrist, nurse and others	Office based psychiatrist in cooperation with specifically trained psychiatric nurse. Further professionals such as rehabilitation specialists are involved as needed. Their involvement is brokered by nurse (case management)	Office based psychiatrist and other services providers as needed (and if available). No standardized pathways for cooperation and exchange between service providers are implemented.
Home treatment	yes	yes	no
Case management	yes	yes	no
Interdisciplinary treatment conferences	yes	yes (usually involving psychiatrist and nurse), meeting once a week	no
Responsible for medical and social needs	yes	yes	no
24/7-service	yes	yes	no
Maximum frequency of contact	high	high	medium
duration of relation	longterm	longterm	longterm

*Dartmouth assertive community treatment scale [13].