Innovation Project
Push Technology is a free service that provides text messages for youth and adults discharging from hospitals or crisis stabilization services, offering text messaging check-ins, tips, appointment reminders and support.
This service is part of an Innovation project funded by the California Mental Health Services Act and administered through Ventura County Behavioral Health and 211 Ventura County.
Innovation Project
Push Technology is a free service that provides text messages for youth and adults discharging from hospitals or crisis stabilization services, offering text messaging check-ins, tips, appointment reminders and support.
This service is part of an Innovation project funded by the California Mental Health Services Act and administered through Ventura County Behavioral Health and Ventura County 211.
Innovation projects provide opportunities to test out new and creative mental health approaches. They have a fixed length with a clear beginning and end and are carefully evaluated. It's a chance to try out new directions that might inform current and future mental health services in communities. The Push Technology project is running from 2018-2021.
The service sends text check-ins (see illustration for the easy responses), tips and reminders for upcoming appointments for 6 months. The service is opt-in and can be opted out of at any time.
A support person can also participate in the text-message program, with check-ins about the person they are supporting and appointment reminders.
Standard call and text messaging rates apply but there are no fees for the service. Personal health information is kept confidential and protected from unauthorized disclosure, tampering, or damage.
The goal is to:
Based on current research, it is anticipated that individuals who participate in the project will be less likely to be re-hospitalized or re-admitted to a crisis stabilization unit because they will be more likely to be engaged, get connected to any needed services and to feel supported.
The Push Technology project is designed to introduce a method of staying connected after people leave a crisis service.
