Mental Health Technology in a Medical Setting

7/28/2019 Mental Health Technology in a Medical Setting

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TECH SAVVY TREATMENTUsing technology to improve delivery of mental

healthcare in a medical setting

Matt Swenson, MD

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Fellow

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]




“Autism Apps”

An App to keep track of all the apps!





Big Companies with a growing

Evidence Base



A 9 year old girl

Brought to you by her parents because she has been

Refusing to go to school for the past three days. No triggering event

She is described as always having been a little “slow to warm up.”

She is otherwise a delightful and social girl.

History of intermittent stomach aches but is otherwise healthy.

No “bribe” seems to work. Her parents have even tried to force her to go and they share a

long, seemingly traumatic story:

• Parents carry her to the car in her pajamas,

• Drive to school

• Sit in the parking lot listening to her weep uncontrollably

before deciding to bring her to your office.

They feel bad for her but are also increasingly angered by this

behavior. They are at a loss as to what they can do and ask

whether they should think about home-schooling.



QUICK REVIEW:

TREATMENT OF

CHILDHOOD ANXIETY

CBT

1.Education

2.Emotional awareness and Relaxation Training

3.Assessing avoidance and desensitization/exposure

4.Cognitive restructuring

1. Therapy

2. Therapy

3. Therapy

4. Medication (SSRI)





“Moody-

Me”





Demo

• Covers most anxiety disorders

(OCD, GAD, Social Phobia, Panic)

with solid CBT educational format

and skill-building

• Target age group is 6-12

• Great website and additional

resources for parents. Allows them

to take control and know how to startthe discussion with their kids

• www.myanxiouschild.com

http://www.myanxiouschild.com/benefits/sample-library/

http://www.myanxiouschild.com/

http://www.myanxiouschild.com/

http://www.myanxiouschild.com/benefits/sample-library/





• Ages 7 to 13

• No formal training in CBT required• 12 Sessions for the price/time/effort of 6

• Child-paced activities including problem solving,

changing self-talk, and identifying somatic signs of

anxiety

•Downloadable MP3 relaxation script

• Selection of videos of other children engaging in

exposure tasks and using coping strategies

• Includes a built in reward system

• Comes with printable Coach’s Manual and Go-To-

Gadget (child workbook)



A 15 year old boy Parents complain that he has seemed “not himself”

Isolating himself from friends and family.

His parents explain that he has “gone through a lot”• lower than expected grades

• a break-up with a girlfriend

• seeing less of his friends since school ended.

Attributed his isolative behavior to “teenager moodiness”

Tried to be supportive

Alarmed when he recently “blew up” at home when his parents asked himto turn of the T.V.

He stormed off yelling, “I wish I were dead!”

This is very uncharacteristic behavior and his parents are very worried, but

don’t know what to do.

In meeting with Hunter alone you notice a blunted affect and that he isminimally engaged but cooperative.

He is clearly holding back tears when you ask about recent stressors.

You ask whether he meant what he said about wanting to be dead to

which he hesitantly replies, “I don’t know. No, I don’t think so.”

He denies ever having a specific plan to hurt himself.



INSTRUMENTS



• Encourage people to reach out for help when they are having suicidal

thoughts

• Help those who are concerned about family members or friends who

may be suicidal

• Provide a personal contact help center

• Provide activities to help people who are depressed stay connected to

others

Operation Reach Out is

Designed To:



DBT (Dialectical Behavioral



DBT (Dialectical BehavioralTherapy)

• DBT emphasizes skill building in 4 key domains

• Patient’s typically use a DBT Diary Card to track

progress• Try recommending the app so that they can show you

their progress and teach you what they are learning.



A 4 year old girl Brought to you by her mother who expresses concern about

her daughter’s behavior.

Mother explains that she and her husband divorced three

months ago, and although they have tried repeatedly to talk to

her about things, her daughter doesn’t seem to “get it.”

She continues to ask why “we can’t all just sleep in the same

house?”

She also seems to be much more emotional.

Mom asks you about the best way to explain this complicated

topic, and also wonders whether professional counseling is

necessary.



Divorce

demo

http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topicsandactivities/toolkits/divorce






Discussion

[email protected]

h.edu





Documents

Mental Health Technology in a Medical Setting