Development and Testing of an Electronic Behavioral Health Record Specific to the Wraparound Care Coordination Process

Development and Testing of an Electronic Behavioral Health Record Specific to the Wraparound Care Coordination Process

The purpose of this Phase II Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is to complete development and evaluate usability and effectiveness of the Wraparound Team Monitoring System (Wrap-TMS), a web-based, electronic behavioral health information system (EBHIS) for the most widely implemented care coordination model in children's behavioral health, the wraparound process. Though wraparound is now considered "evidence-based," implementation in the real world often fails to conform to standards of fidelity and/or use objective data to guide management, supervision, and clinical decision making. Availability of such a system will support efficiency, implementation quality and fidelity, and outcomes for youths enrolled in wraparound. Wrap-TMS features functionality for data entry, management, and basic reporting for the full array of data and information elements needed to manage an integrated care coordination initiative for youths with serious emotional and behavioral disorder (SEBD). In light of our success in Phase I, subsequent partnerships with federal agencies, and inquiries of interest from several states and over 20 provider and managed care organizations, in this Phase II STTR the investigators will complete development of Wrap-TMS, followed by a randomized controlled effectiveness study comparing n=25 wraparound facilitators who use Wrap-TMS serving n=100 families to 25 non-user facilitators serving 100 families on practitioner, implementation, and youth/family outcomes. The evaluation will test two primary hypotheses: Compared to facilitators in the control group, wraparound facilitators trained to use Wrap-TMS will demonstrate (a) greater use of data and feedback in service delivery; (b) greater fidelity to the wraparound process; (c) higher self-reported teamwork, working alliance, and satisfaction with the intervention; and (d) more positive attitudes toward standardized assessment. Compared to the control group, parents of youths receiving services from facilitators trained to use TMS will report (a) greater goal clarity, (b) more data collection and use (c) greater satisfaction with services and progress, (d) better fidelity to wraparound, (e) more effective team functioning, (f) greater treatment alliance, and (f) better youth outcomes including greater progress and improved symptoms and functioning.

Use of electronic health record / outcomes monitoring via a specified electronic behavioral health information system

Wraparound Team Monitoring System (Wrap-TMS) is a web-based, electronic behavioral health information system (EBHIS) for the most widely implemented care coordination model in children's behavioral health, the wraparound process

As an active comparator, we will educate practitioners randomized to the control condition about the importance of maintaining fidelity and monitoring fidelity and progress via a 3 hour training.

Team Climate Inventory (TCI). The TCI is a 38-item survey that evaluates five relevant aspects of health care teamwork (Shared Vision, Participation safety, Support for Innovation, Task orientation, Interaction frequency) using a 5 point Likert scale. Assessed at 4 mos. post enrollment

Working Alliance Inventory (WAI) is a widely used rating scale designed to measure the working alliance between counselors and clients. Assessed at 4 mos. post enrollment

Top Problem Assessment (TPA) is a consumer-focused index the severity of the top three problems nominated by the parent, on a scale of 0-10. Assessed at BL, 1, 2, 3, 4 mos.

Parent and Child Satisfaction Scales reliably measure five dimensions of satisfaction, each with 1 Likert scale item, including: (1) access and convenience, (2) child's treatment process and relationship with providers, (3) parent and family services, satisfaction with progress, and (5) global satisfaction. Assessed at 4 mos post enrollment

Attitudes toward Standardized Assessment Scale (ASA)105. A 22-item measure of clinician perceptions and attitudes about using standardized assessments in their clinical practice. Items are scored on a 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree) scale and yield 3 subscales with adequate or better reliabilities: Benefit over Clinical Judgment, Psychometric Quality, and Practicality. Administered to practitioners at baseline and 4 mos.

Inclusion Criteria: Parent or legal guardian of a youth aged 6-17 with SEBD (serious emotional and behavioral disorder): at least one MH (mental health) diagnosis that results in long-term (>6 mos) impairment in home, school and/or community functioning). Exclusion Criteria: Non English speaking parents Foster parents

Bruns EJ, Hook AN, Parker EM, Esposito I, Sather A, Parigoris RM, Lyon AR, Hyde KL. Impact of a Web-Based Electronic Health Record on Behavioral Health Service Delivery for Children and Adolescents: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res. 2018 Jun 14;20(6):e10197. doi: 10.2196/10197.