Center for Mental Health receives national award for technology use
"The honorees have set themselves apart through exemplary service to some of our most vulnerable citizens, truly changing the lives of children, adults, and families with mental illness and addiction disorders," said Linda Rosenberg, the National Council's president and CEO. "Their tireless efforts have put many people struggling with mental illness and addictions on the road to recovery."
The Center for Mental Health, providing behavioral healthcare to the six counties of Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel, was the recipient of the National Award for Excellence in Health Information Technology. The award was given for "the development of the center's Patient Tools technology that more successfully screens people for behavioral health concerns in a variety of settings. The hand-held electronic tablet uses trigger logic, screening metrics, assessment metrics, and key questions in a digital patient-client interview. The assessments are completed by the client and automatically scored, producing results within seconds. The innovative tablet has helped the center make tremendous progress in identifying and treating behavioral health illnesses that would otherwise have gone undiagnosed and untreated — perhaps for a lifetime."
Jon Gordon, executive director for the Center for Mental Health, accepted the award in Chicago. The award came with a $10,000 check to the organization. In receiving the award, Gordon stated, "This is a tremendous recognition for a small rural organization such as ours as we are one among thousands across the country. We are indeed both proud and humbled by the recognition of our efforts to bring mental health care and substance abuse care to those who need us the most."
The center is using the award winning technology to screen individuals for mental health or substance abuse issues in integrated settings such as in doctor's offices, jails, and school based health clinics as well as the center's offices. The center will use the money to augment the use of Patient Tools technology in the Pediatric Associates clinic both in Montrose and Delta where, last year alone, 4,587 individuals were screened for behavioral health concerns. Of those screened, 518 had a positive screen and all but a few participated in therapy. In the jails, nearly 90 percent of inmates screened for behavioral health concerns had a positive screen. A full 100 percent began receiving treatment while incarcerated.
The actual Patient Tools tablet is approximately the size of a textbook with a large LCD screen and operates much like a banking ATM machine. Patients read easy-to-understand questions on the screen and answer by pressing the response buttons. Depending on the screening resource used, the branching ability of the tablet allows for more in-depth questioning when an answer raises a concern. In addition to assessments, the Center uses Patient Tools to complete client satisfactions surveys. Surveys provide real time data as to the client experience and help the center improve programs and services in a timely manner. A single survey tablet can screen five to ten clients per hour and one docking station can service two or more survey tablets.
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