Employing telemedicine in drug abuse treatment for American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) youth offers the potential for significant improvements in client treatment. Generally speaking, access to care and continuity of care are critical issues for AI/AN youth, particularly on Reservations and in remote rural locations. In this Small Business Innovative Research project, Danya International, Inc. (Danya) and its subcontractor Support Services International, Inc. (SSI) will develop TeleCounseLink, designed to unify and enhance the continuity and quality of treatment, while affording key evaluation research and commercial opportunities in the growing telemedicine arena. In Phase I, we plan to conduct an assessment of the technological capabilities and resources of treatment centers and community-based clinics currently serving AI/AN adolescents and then to develop an appropriate telecommunication protocol, which will include a web-based component and clinical guidelines for family therapy and aftercare, in order to enhance the continuity and quality of treatment for this target population. In Phase II, we will develop and evaluate this telemedicine system.
The TeleCounseLink product will include hardware and software required for the implementation of the system, as well as a password protected permission driven web presence for access to module upgrades, program information, technical and clinical support. We anticipate marketing first to the various rural health care programs and then to private practices and programs.
