Web app developed by CSU professors and students addresses critical need

As part of a broad effort to use digital technology and connected devices to address societal challenges, a team of Cleveland State University professors and students has developed a new a web application that will improve access to drug treatment services and reduce wait times to better ensure individuals get the help they need.

With financial support from Cleveland State University and the Woodruff Foundation, Drughelp.care was launched in August 2018 and is being utilized by treatment professionals, first responders and individuals seeking treatment across Northeast Ohio. The app allows substance abuse agencies to log their services and quickly update their available treatment slots and wait times.

In doing so, Drughelp.care meets a critical need. It can take an enormous amount of time to find appropriate substance abuse treatment. Family members, professionals or those seeking treatment often struggle to find available treatment slots.

“Our app makes the service delivery system significantly more efficient,” says Dr. Patricia Stoddard Dare, who developed Drughelp.care along with Dr. Miyuki Tedorand software development engineering students under the supervision of Dr. Wenbing Zhao.

“I would expect agencies to receive hours of time savings each week,” Stoddard Dare says. “Time that social workers were spending on the phone trying to find aftercare for their clients, they can now spend directly on counseling.”

Drughelp.care is a prime example of how the Internet of Things can be utilized to improve access to services and even save lives.

“Quick and easy access to treatment can mean life or death for those struggling with addiction,” says Orlando Howard, director of outpatient treatment services and quality improvement at St. Vincent’s Rosary Hall Addiction Treatment Center. “The collective impact of providers sharing information and availability of services is a game-changer.”

Next Steps: The CSU team is currently working on the next phase of development, which will make the app user-friendly for non-professionals and accessible to individuals in need of treatment information. The team is seeking community members to take part in a focus group to help inform the creation of the user interface.

Learn More: Substance abuse treatment agencies interested in registering their services or individuals interested in participating in the focus group can contact [email protected].

The IoT Collaborative (IOTC), a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University, is leading change as an engaged and socially responsible partner in the development and advancement of IoT.

3 Things to Know

Drughelp.care is a user-friendly tool that makes open drug treatment slots publicly available in real time.

The app is fully searchable, allowing treatment providers, first responders and individuals seeking treatment to find available services at the click of a button.

Drughelp.care is already becoming an essential tool for first responders, who act as access points for treatment services.

Researcher Q&A

Q What are your research interests?

A I am interested in researching vulnerabilities experienced by families and their children. So, I am particularly interested in delinquencies, health policy and substance abuse research.

Q What are your goals?

A One of our goals is that we want to come up with real research that is going to help our local community, specifically regarding substance abuse, and so I think our web App has definitely done that. So, in the short-term our goals for the project are to register at least three agencies every week, three new substance abuse provider agencies each week.

Q What are you most excited about in this research?

A What I am really excited about is that my research has real tangible outcomes that really help people who are vulnerable and so this app is really already helping people to quickly connect with necessary treatment.