Assertive Outreach Team

The Assertive Outreach Team provides care to a limited number of people at a time. This is to make sure we can deliver a personal and flexible approach as well as be responsive to someone in a crisis.

We work with people who are not currently engaged with other mental health services or who have been lost within services.

We do not accept self-referrals.

Referrals for the Assertive Outreach team can be made by professionals who are caring for service users currently receiving care from secondary mental health services. We support service users who have a severe and enduring mental illness with psychosis, who are finding it difficult to engage with services. Please review our inclusion criteria before getting in touch.

If you want to refer someone, please call either the East or West Team and we’ll support you with the referral process or signpost you to a more appropriate service. If you’re a LYPFT member of staff, please make a referral on CareDirector.

• East Team: 0113 855 7024
• West Team: 0113 855 7029

Once your referral is received this will be triaged and if appropriate will be allocated to two of the team’s case managers for assessment. This assessment involves meeting with the service user and gathering collateral information. The referral will then be presented in our multi-disciplinary team meeting and following contact will be made with the referrer with the outcome of assessment.

If the service user is accepted following assessment, then contact will be made to arranged transfer of care. If not, then our team may offer recommendations.

Inclusion criteria

• A severe and enduring mental disorder with psychosis
• A history of engagement difficulties with mental health services
• A history or erratic non-compliance with medication resulting in impaired mental health.
• A history of high use of inpatient or intensive community based care
• Multiple complex needs which may include the following:
  • significant risk to self, others or self-neglect
  • a history of violence or persistent offending
  • poor response to previous treatment/interventions
  • dual diagnosis of substance misuse and mental illness
  • History of detention under the Mental Health Act 1983
  • A history of unstable accommodation/homelessness