The Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) and declines in rates of assault: Mixed replicated findings

The Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) is a crisis intervention program that has been associated with providing both needed support for employee vi ctims of patient assault and declines in rates of assaults in traditional s tate 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: commu nity residences, an acute care rural community mental health center, and an urban intermediate/extended care facility. ASAP was associated with a stat istically significant decline in the rate of assault in the intermediate/ex tended care facility. The community residence program was not a true test b ecause of structural issues associated with managed care. The community men tal health center appeared to be a true failed replication. The extended ca re facility's decline in the rate of assault was interrupted by the afterma th of one serious clinical incident during one month and then continued to decline. The implications are discussed.