June 24, 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Altarum Institute President and CEO Lincoln Smith presented written testimony today for the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Subcommittee on Health hearing on the use of wireless technologies for treating mental health issues among veterans. Smith’s testimony detailed Altarum’s “Veterans Transition to Community” project currently underway at a pilot site in California.
“We are tremendously excited about the potential shown in this project, and appreciate the opportunity Chairman Michaud and Ranking Member Brown have given us to share our findings with them,” said Smith.
The Altarum Veterans Transition to Community project is evaluating the use of cell phone and PDA technologies to support the treatment of veterans with post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and other behavioral health disorders. By using cell phones and other tools to collect information and improve patients’ level of contact with clinicians, it is hoped that veterans and providers will be better able to manage and prevent behavioral health issues that affect veterans, their families, and care and treatment providers.
“Through our Veterans Transition to Community Project, Altarum has implemented a novel but elegant solution that has significant potential to dramatically impact the lives of service members and ease the burden on providers,” said Smith in his testimony. “Our solution not only facilitates health and wellness for returning service members and their families, but it also leverages the time and resources of existing clinical and treatment staff.”
This is the second time that Altarum has been invited to provide testimony to the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Last year, John King—the Co-Director of the Altarum Institute Veterans Community Action Teams Mission Project (“VCAT”)—testified in person regarding the VCAT project and the model Altarum hopes to develop to better integrate community services for veterans.
For more information on the Veterans Transition to Community project or to read the testimony presented to the committee, visit www.altarum.org.
Contact Information
Jonathan Orr703-575-1215
jonathan.orr@altarum.org
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Altarum Institute (www.altarum.org) integrates objective research and client-centered consulting skills to deliver comprehensive, systems-based solutions that improve health and health care. A nonprofit serving clients in the public and private sectors, Altarum employs more than 350 individuals and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan with additional offices in the Washington, DC area; Atlanta, Georgia; Portland, Maine; and San Antonio, Texas.