Illinois Researchers Look to Michigan’s AOT Model Through Collaboration with CBHJ

Researchers from the Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design (IHDD) at the University of Illinois Chicago recently connected with the Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) team at the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice (CBHJ) as part of IHDD's SAMHSA-funded initiative to develop a roadmap for implementing and scaling AOT in Illinois. The collaboration reflects growing national interest in Michigan's coordinated approach to AOT and the role CBHJ has played in supporting its development.

Through several virtual meetings and an in-person visit, the IHDD team explored Michigan's experience implementing AOT, including the development of CBHJ's AOT Toolkit, lessons from evaluation efforts, and practical insights gained through the CBHJ's AOT-focused projects. CBHJ also convened community research partners for the discussion, highlighting the strong cross-system collaboration among courts, behavioral health providers, and local partners that underpins AOT implementation across the state.

David O'Donnell, project lead at IHDD, reflected on the experience:

"We are working on a SAMHSA funded grant to develop a roadmap for a statewide Assisted Outpatient Treatment program in Illinois for people with severe mental illness. Our desk research indicated that Michigan had a model program and that the AOT team at the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice at Wayne State were at the center of Michigan's success.

Connecting with the CBHJ's AOT team and community partners gave us invaluable insights about how to design an AOT program that centers care for patients, clear community collaboration, and practical communications.

The CBHJ AOT team has that rare capacity to be able to think both strategically and tactically, to see structural challenges and to then develop the tools to address them. They see the forest and the trees and have been excellent guides for us.

In the fields of public health and social work you occasionally come across unique individual champions who, through intelligence and perseverance, work to shift whole organizations and systems of care to be of greater service to people. At the CBHJ we found an entire team of such individuals - committed, clear, caring."

Julia Stewart, innovation and project lead for AOT at the CBHJ, expressed gratitude for connecting with IHDD and their unique approach:

"Learning more about how IHDD applies design thinking to systems change was both inspiring and informative for our AOT team. Their perspective highlights how person-centered design can help translate policy and strategy into practical, responsive systems of care. This is especially important when developing services for vulnerable populations, particularly individuals experiencing serious mental illness who may face significant barriers to accessing and engaging with care. We are excited to carry these insights forward and explore how elements of design thinking can inform our ongoing implementation, evaluation, and systems improvement efforts."

About the Center for Behavioral Health and Justice: The Center for Behavioral Health and Justice at the Wayne State University School of Social Work delivers actionable data, person‐centered research and evaluation, and collaborative technical assistance at the behavioral health/criminal legal intersection to empower community partners to adopt high‐impact care solutions. Visit the CBHJ website to learn more.

About the Institute for Healthcare Design : The Institute for Healthcare Delivery Design at the University of Illinois Chicago Office of Population Health Services aims to enable healthcare, research and social service systems to better serve all people. Working closely with our clients and partners, IHDD strives to understand complex problems, envision the future, and unite stakeholders in "raising the floor" in healthcare and social service delivery. Visit the IHDD website to learn more.