| Researchers Begin Advanced Study of Online
Mental Health Screening System March 14, 2005—Portland, Oregon—Internet technology now provides a means for parents in Oregon to screen their children for various problems including common mental health disorders. Online screening for adolescent mental health problems and youth at-risk is a new and never before seen health care technology. Founded and headquartered in Bend, Oregon, InCrisis has created the first comprehensive Internet-based mental health screening tool. Services will soon be available to all Oregonians through Mentor Research Institute, a non-profit charitable organization that is conducting research and providing services using a new program called StepOne Online. InCrisis is a small company located in Central Oregon between the Cascade Mountains, Central Oregon desert and the majestic Deschutes River. Michael Conner, founder of InCrisis, says that "Bend has incredible health, science and technology resources to draw upon. You can find top programmers here." and "If you look around you can see that good things are being developed in Central Oregon and especially Bend." According to the developers of StepOne Online, research is a necessary, continuous and ongoing activity when health care technology is developed. In addition to peer review, Mentor Research Institute has obtained the services of nine licensed mental health care professional who will serve as research associates. Their role will be to use StepOne Online in their clinical practice, provide ongoing feedback and to support evidenced based research. The research associates are multidisciplinary in their background and should provide a wide perspective on StepOne Online. StepOne is proving be a timely and important resource for parents. Research compiled by the U.S. Health Department and Surgeon General's Office provides conclusive evidence that nearly 20% of America's youth have a diagnosable mental disorder. These disorders will have at least a mild impact on their peer, family and school functioning. But nearly 50% of these youth will be severely impaired. The most alarming issue is a finding that very few of these children will be identified or receive any help. According to Dr. Michaele Dunlap, psychologist and President of Mentor Research Institute, "Without StepOne, it would take decades to screen children using the current health care system." StepOne is a "home-based" screening system that parents can use in the privacy of their home using the internet. StepOne was developed to involve, educate and empower parents to help their children or to find help for their children. According to the Surgeon General's Office, it is critical that parents become involved in advocating and seeking care for their children. In addition to helping parents, StepOne Online was designed to provide referral and emergency information. The creators of the StepOne Online screening system consider adolescent mental health a serious health problem that is not being addressed in America. Dr. Michael Conner, an Oregon psychologist and co-creator of the StepOne, states, "There are a lot of kids with problems that really need treatment or some form of intervention. Too many parents believe their kids are going through a phase. These problems, if missed or left alone, can become life long problems." Research available through the National Institute of Health and Mental Health is already beginning to show that environment and medical conditions contribute significantly to depression, anxiety and substance abuse disorders. The brain of a child can change permanently if significant social, interpersonally and psychological problems are missed or ignored. After year of experience and research, beginning in 1989, Dr. Conner concluded that many parents know a great deal about their children's behavior and history. However they may not know the meaning or importance of certain behavior, signs and symptoms. According to Dr. Conner, parents cannot be expected to diagnose their children but they can use an online system like StepOne to screen their children and the take the next step. Are the psychological needs of children being ignored in health care? The creators of StepOne Online point out that physicians have approximately 8 to 13 minutes per medical appointment. Dr. Conner, who worked in primary medical care departments, tells parents, "Physicians do not have the time, training or experience necessary to screen children for mental and emotional problems." During his research, as part of a Fellowship at Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Conner discovered that physicians routinely make mistakes diagnosing and treating simple things like depression. In primary care, the only resource many physicians have is a prescription pad. And if physicians look for depression, they will usually find enough symptoms to make that diagnosis. Unfortunately, physicians don't have time to look for related problems that look like depression nor what may be causing depression, anxiety or self-harming behavior. Mentor Research Institute is a non-profit educational and research organization with a focus on mental health for youth and families; homelessness, effective intervention, public and professional education. Revised: November 23, 2005 Mentor Research Institute # # # |