The proposed Teleherence project applies Web, phone, and prediction technology to the problem of adherence to treatment by the mental health clients of Mental Health Mental Retardation (MHMR) of Tarrant County, Texas. Clinicians will interact with a web site that automatically delivers reminders and short surveys via cell phones, normal phone lines, and a web site. The web site will chart the responses of clients and significant others and use predictive techniques to provide suggestions on increasing client adherence to treatment and services. Teleherence project goals: To improve MHMR client outcomes by increasing adherence to treatment and services using prediction technology and web-enabled telecommunications between clinicians, clients, and clients'family and friends. Outcome objectives (to be completed between 1/1/2007 and 12/31/2009): 1. To increase the adherence to treatment and services in 18 MHMR client subgroups (about 868 clients) as compared to a control group (see participants in Table 4); 2. To increase the involvement of significant others, e.g., family, in 18 MHMR client subgroups (approximately 75 clients) as compared to a control group; 3. To increase client empowerment, self-efficacy, and clinician-client relationships in 868 clients as measured by standardized scales developed by project staff and Tarrant County Mental Health advocacy groups. Process objectives: 1. To develop a web-based telecommunication system that allows clinicians to automatically provide reminders and deliver surveys. 2. To provide automatic reminders to 290 clients as well as to automatically deliver surveys to an additional 290 clients;furthermore, to automatically deliver both reminders and surveys to 288 clients with serious mental illness and to relevant significant others.
