Placing more emphasis on treatment than incarceration, with tech-enabled compassion
Danbury, CT November 12, 2021: Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism, Inc., (MCCA) a Connecticut-based provider of substance use prevention programs, evaluation, and treatment services, announced their partnership with TryCycle Data Systems Inc. today. Effective immediately MCCA will deploy TryCycle’s “Digital Compassionate Tether” platform that will expand support services to clients suffering from alcohol, opioids, gambling, and mental health disorders.
MCCA offers a full spectrum of services including programs that divert non-violent individuals from incarceration into substance use treatment. Instead of overwhelming the judicial system, MCCA supports programs designed to reach clients who are most likely to succeed in treatment. Together, MCCA and TryCycle are thrilled to launch this first-of-its-kind initiative focused on improving outcomes for court-involved individuals.
MCCA’s Treatment Pathways Program (TPP) is a court-based pretrial collaboration between the Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division and the Waterbury and Torrington Courts. A similar initiative, the Drug Intervention Program (DIP) is run out of the New Haven Court, with the primary goal being to decrease criminal behavior, directing motivated individuals into a treatment program, to avoid incarceration, and reduce the likelihood of future arrests.
“We are excited to be adding TryCycle as an additional support to our clients in pursuit of their recovery goals,” said John D’Eramo MCCA, President and CEO.
Personalized Care
With increased caseloads and an over-burdened criminal justice system, it can be a challenge for clinicians to provide targeted care. MCCA recognized the need and a desire to do more for their clients. It was in 2020 that MCCA learned of TryCycle when U.S. Senator Chris Murphy credited the health-tech company as an “innovative app using real-time data and human compassion to save lives.”
Both companies quickly realized that TryCycle’s digital compassionate tether technology was complementary to MCCA’s person-centered model of care. As another tool in the clinician’s toolbelt, TryCycle helps to extend services, streamline communications, and encourage a more targeted and personalized interaction with clients.
How it Works
The app-based program will be paired with trusted health professionals in seven MCCA outpatient locations (Bridgeport, Danbury, New Milford, Derby, New Haven, Torrington, and Waterbury), as well as their three court-based programs. The goal: to arm clinicians and peer support specialists with actionable data that can lead to early interventions.
TryCycle’s HIPPA-compliant platform combines screening and monitoring tools while harnessing client data and insights in the moment. The commitment from participating clients is typically a once-per-day digital check-in using the app to share insights like level of stress, cravings, medication compliance, and feelings, all in real-time. It’s an approach that can bridge the gap between treatment sessions, reducing the need for higher levels of care.
“TryCycle allows clients an opportunity to work their recovery in a way that parallels the disease, at a more genuine pace, utilizing this tool when it matters most. Recovery doesn’t come in a nice, neat package between 9am and 12pm, it happens 24/7 and cannot be done in isolation” shares Michelle Voegtle, Director of Clinical Programs at TryCycle.
The app is always available and accessible to tethered clients. It’s often the tool they turn to when they’re most vulnerable, providing a safe space to hold a client’s thoughts and feelings in between their face-to-face sessions. Clinicians themselves are equipped with a dashboard to visualize this data, identifying patterns of risk for each client individually, and allowing for a more personalized plan of care. This enhanced model also supports treatment planning, helping to move clients through the stages of change.
Better Together
The TryCycle program has already started rolling out in some locations and will expand to all 6,000 clients at MCCA. The program is available to English and Hispanic clients in Adult Outpatient & Intensive Outpatient programs, Women’s Services, Medication Assisted Treatment, Problem Gambling and Jail Diversion programs. By introducing this easy-to-use, easy-to-access technology, together with compassionate individuals, MCCA and TryCycle are well positioned to make a meaningful impact on treatment outcomes.
About Midwestern Connecticut Council of Alcoholism, Inc.
MCCA is a CARF accredited provider, offering high-quality, evidence-based treatment for addiction. Their mission is to provide HELP and instill HOPE for individuals, families, and organizations working to overcome and prevent addictions. MCCA believes that alcoholism, drug addiction, problem gambling, and co-occurring disorders are treatable illnesses and that those affected – including other family members can recover. https://mccaonline.com/
About TryCycle Data Systems Inc.
TryCycle is a digital health platform designed by clinicians, for clinicians. The tech-enabled solution provides real-time data and client insights that improve clinical decision-making while increasing treatment engagement, retention, and outcomes. The company’s own “Digital Compassionate Tether” technology bridges the gaps between clinical visits when clients are most vulnerable and at risk of relapse. Since 2018, TryCycle’s enhanced model of care has been used in clinical settings, as a tool to increase care coordination, remote health monitoring, and early interventions.