Virtual Accountability Support Services (VASS)
by Rise Up To Change
What Our Experience Taught Us
Amy Arnett and Lucille Heaney founded Rise Up To Change after years of working in a premier dual-diagnosis residential treatment setting, where they experienced firsthand how clients responded to intensive professional support—and what happened once that structure was reduced or disappeared.
They found clients to be very different. Some don't believe they have a significant problem. Some know there is a problem but believe they can manage it “on their own.” Others accept help and sincerely want to follow the plan, but struggle putting it into practice. And some leave highly structured treatment feeling better, understanding more, and being fully committed—only to discover how difficult it can be once they return to real life.
These challenges appear before treatment, during outpatient care or PHP, as well as after residential treatment. With mental health patients, some feel better and begin changing or stopping medication; others miss appointments or gradually stop following the plan that stabilized them.
What Amy and Lucille learned is that even sincere intention doesn’t guarantee follow-through.
When a professional sees a client only once a week—or sometimes weeks or even months apart—it’s difficult to know what’s happening between appointments. Families often end up trying to fill the gap—reminding, checking, questioning, monitoring, enforcing, and reporting the plan between appointments.
Virtual Accountability Support Services (VASS) adds structure and accountability between appointments, and documents what’s actually happening — so the professional has the information needed to decide whether to adjust the plan or recommend a different level of care.
VASS can make a difference.
What Our Experience Taught Us
Amy Arnett and Lucille Heaney founded Rise Up To Change after years in a premier dual-diagnosis residential treatment setting, where they saw how clients responded to intensive professional support—and what happened when that structure was reduced or disappeared.
They found clients to be very different. Some don’t believe they have a significant problem. Some believe they can manage it “on their own.” Others know there is a problem and want to follow the plan but struggle to put it into practice.
These challenges appear before, during, and after treatment. Mental health patients may begin changing or stopping medication, miss appointments, or gradually stop following their
What Amy and Lucille learned is that even sincere intention doesn’t guarantee follow-through.
When a professional sees a client only once a week—or even longer—they miss what’s happening between appointments. Families often end up trying to fill the gap—reminding, checking, questioning, monitoring, enforcing, and reporting on the plan.
Virtual Accountability Support Services (VASS) adds structure and accountability between appointments, and documents what’s actually happening — so the professional has the information needed to decide whether to adjust the plan or recommend a different level of care.
VASS can make a difference