02 Jun KidsTLC, Inc. Receives $100,000 from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City
KidsTLC, Inc. recently received a grant for $100,000 from the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City (now the Health Forward Foundation), Mental Health Grant to support the implementation of a new electronic medical records (EMR) program which will improve data analysis and care coordination.
Funding will support contract work to Netsmart for the creation of the system tailored to KidsTLC’s programs.
Not only do mental health conditions need to be identified and treated in traditional settings, but it is proven effective to also integrate behavioral health into the physical health setting. Integrated care is rendered by a practice team of primary care and behavioral health clinicians and staff working together with patients and families to provide patient-centered care. By definition, integrated care is delivered in teams. Electronic medical records (EMRs) can help facilitate this exchange of information and support clinical activities that have the potential to improve care quality and reduce costs. Without proper technology and data systems, it can be difficult for mental health providers and physical health providers to transfer and communicate client information/records, resulting in a fragmented system. KidsTLC adopted its first EMR, Essentia, in 2015. Due to upgrades in EMR technology and difficulties with retrieving data, KidsTLC will be adopting a new EMR which will increase their ability to communicate with other behavioral health and primary care providers. Implement a more comprehensive electronic medical record system (myEvolv) for all of its programs, including one time start-up fees and the cost of a project manager. The myEvolv system will address challenges common to early EMRs like complicated processing of provider notes. myEvolv will also solve current difficulties experienced by KidsTLC in regard to auditing of data, data extraction and reporting, and will provide for easy and meaningful use of data for informed therapy. myEvolv will allow clinicians to enter data through dictation, reducing time spent on recording therapy notes; remotely login through a mobile app; receive data dashboards with the ability to graph and examine individual, program, and agency trends; and skip certain fields that do not need to be filled in like “address for homeless youth” without compromising the ability to use the program.
Located in Olathe, Kansas, KidsTLC was founded in 1972 to fulfill an unmet need for emergency shelter and social services for youth in the Kansas City metropolitan area. As it has grown and evolved over the last 44 years to meet the needs of the community, the agency has gained experience managing programs such as emergency shelter, truancy case management, domestic violence case management, Level V Youth Residential care, youth crisis services, transitional living, street outreach, juvenile intake/assessment, foster care, and adoption. Today, KidsTLC has grown into one of Kansas City’s leading agencies that focuses on the most up-to-date trauma-informed and attachment-based care practices. KidsTLC is committed to filling the gaps in services in our community by providing an array of timely and high-quality services that are truly