Case study highlights 80% reduction in wait times for behavioral health services

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.: WellSky, a global health and community care technology and services company, and UF Health St. Johns Care Connect, a community outreach program of the UF Health network in Florida, today jointly released a case study detailing how Care Connect used the WellSky Community Services solution to significantly reduce wait times for students seeking behavioral health services. In the last five years, the average time required for a student to schedule a behavioral health appointment dropped from 90 days in 2018 to just 18 days in the 2023-24 school year.

“Through our partnership with WellSky, we created a data-driven approach that empowers us to prevent crises — whether related to homelessness, mental health, or medical emergencies — before they arise,” said Paige Stanton, executive director at UF Health St. Johns Care Connect. “This results in long-term positive outcomes for the communities we serve.”

Care Connect, launched in 2017, was designed to connect social care providers across St. Johns County, Florida, through a unified information system. The program coordinates social care for individuals discharged from the hospital and those experiencing homelessness who frequently sought non-emergent care in a hospital emergency department.

The Care Connect team quickly identified a critical need: the suicide rate in St. Johns County among 15- to 19-year-olds was 3.2 times higher than the national average. Compounding the issue, only 35% of referred students accessed behavioral health services due to limited local resources.

In response, Care Connect expanded its use of the WellSky Community Services platform to establish the BRAVE program (Be Resilient And Voice Emotions) — a statewide behavioral health referral network. This initiative played a key role in reducing the average wait time for behavioral health services, contributing to a 75% decrease in the teen suicide rate in St. Johns County. Since its launch in 2019, BRAVE has expanded to seven counties, serving more than 300,000 students.

“The transformative impact UF Health St. Johns Care Connect has achieved for students in Florida exemplifies why WellSky is dedicated to leading the movement for smarter, more connected care,” said Bill Miller, chairman and CEO of WellSky. “Breaking down silos and fostering collaboration among providers is critical to building healthier communities.”

Powered by WellSky technology, Care Connect is fostering seamless collaboration among providers and enabling Care Connect leadership to monitor and evaluate referral outcomes. To download the full case study, visit wellsky.com.

About WellSky®

WellSky is one of America’s largest and most innovative healthcare technology companies leading the movement for intelligent, coordinated care. Our proven software, analytics, and services power better outcomes and lower costs for stakeholders across the health and community care continuum. In today’s value-based care environment, WellSky helps providers, payers, health systems, and community organizations scale processes, improve collaboration for growth, harness the power of data analytics, and achieve better outcomes by further connecting clinical and social care. WellSky serves more than 20,000 client sites — including the largest hospital systems, blood banks, cell therapy labs, home health and hospice franchises, post-acute providers, government agencies, and human services organizations. Informed by more than 40 years of providing software and expertise, WellSky anticipates clients’ needs and innovates relentlessly to build healthy, thriving communities. For more information, visit wellsky.com.

Fonte: Business Wire