Raleigh, NC – September 2, 2007 – Duke University’s Behavioral Health Informatics Division, a leading developer of clinical information systems for Behavioral Healthcare,  is helping to shape the California Mental Health Services Act Technology Guidelines.through active participation in the MHSA Technology Workgroup. The MHSA IT Workgroup, one of the Mental Health Services ACT Advisory Committees, is comprised of representatives from various county departments of mental health and human services, other non-for-profit services provider organizations, and clinical / financial technology vendors.

Utilizing national CCHIT certification standards for electronic medical records, the workgroup is modifying them to reflect the needs of California’s behavioral health community, a specialty  as yet unaddressed by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology. Working in tandem with California-based I.T. consulting firm the Ballard Group, the goal is to incorporate invaluable feedback directly provided by the MHSA Technology Workgroup membership to create a statewide Vendor Request for Information (RFI) document, a single, standardized script (complete with sample data) for live, onsite system demonstrations and additional research tools designed to afford provider organizations the ability to compare available products and services under the convenience and auspices of a single, statewide psychiatric umbrella.

About Duke Behavioral Health Informatics 

Duke Behavioral Health Informatics is built on the principles of offering quality products and reliable service, designed to work in real clinical situations. Clinical Research Information System (CRIS) is the only EMR created by practicing psychiatrists at Duke University, a nationally recognized research institution, giving it the unique ability to simultaneously address the needs of clinicians, system managers, researchers, and patients alike. 

For additional information, please visit www.mindlinc.com

 Contact: A. Deo Garlock, Director
e-mail: deo.mplus@earthlink.net