The aims of the European Assertive Outreach Foundation (EAOF) are to stimulate a European-wide dialogue about the development of (1) evidence- and best-practice based models of Community Mental Health Services (CMHS´s), including Assertive Outreach (AO), and (2) interventions used in these models to promote personal, clinical and social recovery. These models/interventions target severely mentally ill (SMI) patients in the community, and can be carried out by multidisciplinary teams, including the social domain. To date, different models/interventions vary widely among countries, particularly with regard to organisational models, interventions used, patient groups, client participation and research findings. The EAOF brings together consumers, clinicians, social workers, researchers and policy makers to discuss ways to optimize CMHS and AO for people with SMI. This includes case-finding, searching for ways to increase motivation for treatment and service engagement, research and implementation of outpatient interventions to improve personal, clinical and social recovery, and participation and empowerment of clients and their families.

The EAOF colleborates with EUCOMS in setting up a European CMHS network. The EAOF stimulates research across different countries to investigate and compare models of CMHS and AO, their cost-effectiveness, and the development and implementation of other evidence-based practices within the context of CMHS and AO. The EAOF will help ensure that the most vulnerable citizens in our communities receive the highest possible quality of integrated outpatient care.

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