Behavioral health practitioners use assessments and treatment planning functions throughout their clinical services with a client. It happens in the beginning when a client first enters care. The assessment process consists of interviews plus the use of measurement tools to gather precise information about the client. Then with this knowledge, the diagnosis is acquired and the practitioner moves on to the treatment planning, continuing to re-assess and update the treatment plan.
However, most practitioners consider the assessment and treatment processes as two separate phases rather than as one. Measurement tools such as the Beck Depression Inventory or the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) provide valuable data for the practitioner about the client’s functioning. But why is there no connection between this data and the treatment options? And if there is a connection, why is so much left up to the practitioner’s knowledge and why does the tool’s result directly integrate with the treatment?
For example, suppose a youth enters treatment who has a history of trauma. The practitioner administers the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index (PTSD-RI) to the youth. Through the measurement tool, the practitioner then may use it to develop a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and that the youth’s functioning in school or at home is impaired by their trauma memories. Now when it comes to treating the youth, they may turn to different modalities of treatment. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization, and Reprocessing, or Seeking Safety are some of the more popular evidence-based treatments.
However, when a practitioner develops their treatment plan, all they may put into the interventions are, “Use TF-CBT with the client.” “Provide coping skills with Seeking Safety.” The client does not necessarily get their specific issues dealt with. As an example, in the PTSD-RI, one of the statements is “I have trouble going to sleep, wake up often, or have trouble getting back to sleep.” How are the treatment modalities going to specifically deal with that behavior? There is an assumption that sleeping will improve once the trauma is dealt with, but that doesn’t always happen. Shouldn’t there be a connection between the problem (sleeping) and the solution (ways to remove barriers to sleep)?
By having an integrated system that takes the answers from a measurement tool and then turns them into treatment interventions, the practitioner directly engages the client in the problems that are of most concern to them. This approach leaves less guesswork to the client and more success in treating them.
Praxes’ treatment software, Apogee, generates treatment interventions from assessment measurements such as the CANS and the Pediatric Symptom Checklist. For more information, please contact us.
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PRAXES is a nationwide behavioral health software, consulting, and training company. No one in the behavioral health industry has a better reputation, and if you give us the chance, we’ll show you why! At PRAXES, our services improve the efficiency and structure of behavioral health agencies serving children and families nationwide. PRAXES brings over 45 years of administrative and clinical expertise. With more than 100 client companies nationwide, we offer the expertise to advance the quality of behavioral health services. We accomplish these goals through our new clinical decision software, our training of best practices, and helping companies meet regulatory standards. At PRAXES, we believe in being creative and fostering new ways to serve children and their families. Our vision is to empower the families our agencies serve with skills that not only improve their functioning, but help them to thrive in their everyday lives. When you give us the chance, you’ll be connected directly to our friendly staff, so you can expect immediate attention to your inquiry. So, don’t wait, call now!
Dan Thorne has unique perspectives on the field of mental health. As a clinician, he has had over 40 years of experience working with clients in the Southern California area. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Irvine, he worked with children in the Orange County Juvenile Hall. Here he honed his earliest techniques on at-risk children. After that, he obtained his Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton.
In the 1990’s, Dan turned his attention to the clinical and administrative side of behavioral health organizations. For three years, he was the Assistant Administrator of Starting Point, a chemical dependency facility in Costa Mesa, CA. In 2001, he took an opportunity to be the Director of Harbor View Community Services Center in Long Beach. When he arrived, the Center had only 80 clients and 13 staff. When he left, there were over 400 clients and 75 staff. Dan created several programs through their contract with the Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health and Child and Family Services. Under his guidance, Harbor View became one of the leading providers of children’s services in Los Angeles County.
While improving the results of the client’s parents at the Center, Dan reflected on his experiences as a parent. His children themselves had special needs such as mental and intellectual challenges, and Dan knew the toll it takes on the parent. In order to help the child, the parent has to be healthy. From this concept, he created his parenting program. After years of refining it, teaching it to his staff at the Center, and then taking the results and comments from these efforts, he became the developer of the current PRAXES program. It is a culmination of Dan’s personal trials and tribulations as a parent along with empirical results and research of over 40 parenting programs.
Our vision at PRAXES is to advance the strength of parents and caregivers of children with special needs (mental health, intellectual, or physical) through education, support, and empowerment. Thus, they can live healthy and functional lives while caring for the child.
Apogee is a clinical decision software designed to help behavioral health practitioners with their treatment and patient engagement. It provides evidence-based and research-based components. Not only do they consist of elements from such practices as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Seeking Safety, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Functional Behavior Analysis, but also the Intensive Models for Parents, Youth, and Children.
PRAXES has over 30 years of accreditation experience. We know what it takes to get your organization accredited. Whether it’s Joint Commission, CARF, or COA, our team can provide an evaluation of your current status and review the standards which need improvements. We will assist you with the policies, documentation, and training required to be accredited.
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