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Data collection is an integral part of government agencies like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), for reporting program outcomes and accountability. SAMHSA-funded community behavioral health programs have been evaluated by the National Outcome Measures (NOMs) since 2007. NOMs collects data on important aspects of client health including but not limited to mental health symptoms, functioning, and social connectedness through interviews with clients. Since its inception, NOMs has gone through a number of revisions. The most recent revision in 2021 has significant implications for program evaluation and research. This commentary provides an overview of the history of the NOMs followed by a review and critique of the recent changes with a particular attention to revisions in how responses are recorded. Implications of the NOMs are discussed with respect to its utility in evaluation, practice, and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 126 consecutively admitted residential treatment children (mean age = 9.86, SD=1.84; 70.6% male; 42.1% African American; 50% Caucasian) were studied over a five-year period to identify predictors of length-of-stay. Cox regression was the primary statistical method used to analyze psychiatric and behavioral rating data for children assessed by teachers and treatment staff using the Devereux Scales of Mental Disorders (DSMD). Parental alcohol abuse, and children’s age, medication status, race, initial DSMD total and critical pathology scores, were predictive of length-of-stay. Residential length-of-stay was strongly linked to initial levels of psychiatric symptomatology. Models that can help forecast length of stay are vital tools in helping to improve both clinical and utilization management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to identify profile characteristics for a recent sample of young residential children, examine the differential impact that profile characteristics have on behavior change, and describe the relationship between behavioral symptomatology and length of stay in residential treatment. A sample of 142 consecutively admitted residential treatment children were studied over a five-year period. Hierarchical Linear Modeling was the primary statistical method used to analyze behavioral rating data for a subset of 57 children assessed by teachers and treatment staff using the Devereux Scales of Mental Disorders. Younger age, female gender, and lower IQ were associated with increased levels of psychopathology. Residential length of stay was strongly linked to levels of behavioral symptomatology. HLM is a valuable analytic strategy that employs client profile characteristics to model behavioral change trajectories and help predict treatment responsiveness. System reform philosophies that promote expectations for rapid symptom improvement and removal of residential treatment from the continuum of care may exceed current treatment capacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Board of Radiology is developing a computerized interactive case management examination to be used to evaluate the clinical skills of radiation oncologists. In the past, these skills have been evaluated by a pencil and paper written examination and an oral examination. With the increasing capabilities of computers, theses kills can be easily, and perhaps even better, evaluated digitally. The aim is to develop an examination, which will be based on actual clinical cases, and be interactive so that it better mimics the clinical practice of a radiation oncologist than a written examination. It will also be less labor-intensive and less expensive than an oral examination. One of the most important skills of a radiation oncologist is the ability to design treatment portals that will encompass the entire cancer and yet minimize the irradiation of critical tissues and normal organs. Important parameters for radiation oncologists include the direction of the treatment beam, the size and shape of the portals, and the location of the margins of the field relative to patient anatomy and tumor location. In order to evaluate a physician’s ability to design treatment portals, the computer-based examination has the capability to interactively construct field lines. The computer interface allows the candidate to draw field lines on a digitized x-ray image in a manner similar to practice. After the candidate illustrates the field lines, the evaluation of the response must be performed quickly to avoid interrupting the flow of the examination. The answer key is stored as a lossless compressed image. The key contains three regions consisting of (1) the must-include region, which contains the tumor, (2) the must-exclude region, which contains tissues that if damaged would affect patient vitality and quality of life; and (3) the envelope of acceptable curves. Each region is assigned a unique byte code. The candidate’s response is assigned a fourth byte code. Using basic logic operations, the response is swiftly evaluated. The scoring algorithm scores a candidate’s action as correct if his/her drawn area encompasses all of the “must-include region” and is within the “envelope of acceptable curves.” It scores a candidate’s action as incorrect if his/her drawn area overlaps any point the “envelope of acceptable curves.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All too often it has been assumed that male victims of sexual abuse are simply similar to their female counterparts. The present study compares the psychological and substance use statuses of sexually abused adolescent male psychiatric inpatients with nonsexually abused adolescent male psychiatric inpatients. Data were collected from 166 male patients consecutively admitted to a 24-bed adolescent psychiatric unit. Abused adolescent males showed significant differences in several domains: they used drugs more frequently, were more depressed, had lower self-esteem, were more hopeless about the future, had more difficulty controlling sexual feelings, and were more concerned about their appearance than their nonabused counterparts. Implications for investigation, treatment, and training are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the ethics of aesthetic dentistry. Definition of ethics, aesthetic and cosmetic; Importance of correct decision-making in the dental profession; Justification of treatment plans; Common concerns of the patient.