Mentor Research Institute

 StepOne For ParentsÔ

Program Description

StepOne For ParentsÔ (StepOne) is an empirically supported mental health screening program that allows parents to identify children with a potential behavioral, mental health or substance abuse disorder as well as the risk of violent, suicidal and self-harming behavior. StepOne is a “home-based” screening tool that is available on the internet. The screening process is designed to protect family privacy as well as involve, educate and empower parents to seek the care they believe is appropriate and necessary for their child. The program involves the following stages:

1.       Parents are referred to the StepOne website by a school, health care professional, local media or parents. Parents complete the adolescent clinical screening questionnaire (ACSQ) which is administered online. The ACSQ consists of a 503 item measure of behavioral, psychological and social functioning.

2.       A computer program automatically generates a comprehensive report that can immediately be saved, printed or viewed online. Results are based on a computerized multi-informant questionnaire in which responses are provided by parents and reliable care-givers.

3.       Parents have complete control over who has access to screening reports. Results are designed to help parents communicate productively with school and health care professionals.

4.   StepOne is designed to gather referral and crisis support information for communities and to provides this information to parents based on location.

5.       Parents can complete the screening again after a specified period of time. The system can help measure progress or the benefit of an intervention or program.

StepOne is based on a powerful information gathering, processing and reporting technology. Services are available 24-7. The validity of the report is improved by gathering information from multiple informants such as two parents or care-givers. The system can provide parents with community specific information, referrals and interim guidance based on zip codes or the referring web site. The system can be updated immediately without service interruption. Data is secured by encryption in a centralized national or regional data basis.

Evaluation Design and Outcomes

StepOne for ParentsÔ was designed and developed by a team of parents, computer programmers, and medical and mental health professionals. The entire system has been reviewed by leading experts in assessment and internet technology in order to insure the program meets ethical and professional standards for development and operation (Mentor Research Institute, 2005). A standardization and administration manual is available from the developers (Conner, 2005).

The StepOne for ParentsÔ program was developed in primary medical care and private practice mental health care settings. The program can be used as an outcome research tool in mental health, primary medical care, foster care and education. The normative sample for the general population consists of 211 families (n=432 children). Parents completed questionnaires for all children age 11 to 17. The normative sample for the profile summary scales consisted of 8 separate stratified samples that were combined into a total normative sample (n=387). Diagnostic and agreement statistics were established based on 9 mental health criterion groups.

The reliability of StepOne based on test-retest coefficient r=0.94. The validity of the clinical screening report should remain good provided the prevalence of mental health and addictive disorders are not less that 10% or more than 50%.

Implementation Essentials

Implementation essentials include the following:

• Parents must read an online informed consent and correctly answer questions that measure their understanding.

• Parents and informants must have access to the web using a personal computer equipped with Microsoft Web Browser (6.0 or greater) and Adobe Acrobat Reader (5.0 or greater).

Program Costs

The screening and assessment instrument is offered at no charge in Oregon and is underwritten my Mentor Research Institute.

Program Contact Information

Mentor Research Institute
818 NW 17th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97209-2327
503 227-2027, ext 16
www.InCrisis.org
info@InCrisis.net

References

American Psychological Association (2004). Psychological testing on the Internet, 59, 150-162.

Conner, M. (2005). StepOne Online Adolescent Clinical Screening Questionniare (ACSQ): Clinical Interpretation Guidelines. Portland, OR: Mentor Research Institute.

Mentor Research Institute. A Review of the InCrisis Website and StepOne Online Screening System. Accessed at http://www.InCrisis.Org/InCrisisReviews.html on March 28, 2005.