Self-help for prevention and recovery from problematic use

Organization

Jellinek, with more than a century of experience in addiction treatment, offers comprehensive help and counseling for people with high-risk substance use, including information, training and support for adults. They also have an online self-help tool for clients to track their progress, communicate with others and document their recovery in a journal.

Challenge

The pressure on health care is enormous, and digitization plays a crucial role in providing solutions. The Integral Care Agreement emphasizes the importance of digital innovations, including telemedicine and health apps, to make healthcare more accessible and efficient. Jellinek's self-help tool is an example of how digital tools can transform mental health care by offering people approachable support.

Solution

We developed a versatile online self-help tool for people with addiction problems, along with an integrated system for caregivers to track and guide users' progress. By using a dynamic Drupal multisite and a React frontend, this provides a solid foundation for future development and allows Jellinek to manage data securely. In addition, the platform includes "Together Sober," which provides specific support for loved ones of people with addiction problems.

Participants go through six phases in the program, with a new phase beginning each week. This journey includes monitoring and goal setting, keeping participants engaged in their personal growth throughout the process.

Thanks to careful redevelopment of the tool, the program offers improvements such as a better user experience, clear navigation, and a more app-like, mobile-friendly interface. The program's flexibility allows users to work on their goals at their own pace. In addition, recovery can be recorded in a journal.

Working through addiction is not something you do alone. Your close circle and others going through the same thing as you can be crucial in the process of recovery. Through a forum, users can connect with each other to talk about their experiences and stumbling blocks. There is also the platform Together Sober. This is an online platform for anyone concerned about a family member's addiction. It offers effective strategies supported by exercises, reading assignments and videos. This allows those around you to be more responsive to your needs.

A platform has been developed for mental health professionals that allows them to have an overview of their clients. This platform allows the professional to monitor and view clients' progress through a secure connection. Moreover, user data can be securely transferred between different domains by deliberately working with separate databases per platform, keeping data separate.

With so much data in sensitive information, it is important to handle it with care.

During the transition from the old to the new platform, a careful data migration took place, paying special attention to the confidentiality of information. Diary entries were discreetly transferred to the new platform and existing users had to re-register their passwords.

The system was developed with a strong focus on security and complies with all relevant laws. The most sensitive data is stored encrypted and thus not immediately readable even in the event of a data breach.

Digitization in healthcare can ensure that more people can be helped more effectively. We are therefore working hard to further develop the Self-Help Tool and make it better. To optimize the tool, we are working on integrating it into a convenient mobile app. We are also investigating whether an AI chatbot can be used so that quick help is available when urgently needed. We want to unburden healthcare through innovative digital solutions. Let's embrace digitalization and use it as effective help!