Inside the Briefcase
SAS to Help San Bernardino Improve Behavioral Health Services
December 3, 2010 No CommentsSOURCE: SAS
The County of San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health has chosen software from SAS, the leader in business analytics software and services, to improve client outcomes for the residents it serves. The Department will use a SAS data warehouse to standardize, consolidate and access existing data. It will apply SAS’ advanced analytics and predictive models to generate insights to help direct the Department’s funds and resources to programs that are most effective and beneficial to constituents.
“We continuously look for better ways to serve our consumers, particularly in challenging economic times,” stated Keith Harris, Ph.D., who manages the Department’s Research and Evaluation division. “With SAS software, we will be able to identify which services work best for which clients and more effectively address the mental health service needs of our residents while at the same time attending to our fiscal responsibilities as a public agency.”
San Bernardino is the largest county by area in the contiguous United States and has a population of more than two million. The Behavioral Health Department serves approximately 45,000 county residents each year through programs that support prevention, intervention, recovery and resiliency for people suffering from mental and emotional disorders and/or substance abuse problems. In addition to the above, the Department conducts outreach and education activities to support individuals, families and communities affected by behavioral health issues.
By integrating knowledge within and across county organizations, SAS allows agencies to create a holistic and integrated view of residents and families, analyzing their service utilization and needs, and designing effective programs of care. SAS’ modeling software enables administrators to predict the future needs of clients and families to plan appropriate services that will achieve the best long-term outcomes.
SAS helps public health agencies ensure residents receive the most effective services in the most efficient manner. With SAS, agencies can increase the quality of their services while managing and reducing costs, improving program effectiveness, adhering to reporting and accountability standards and, where applicable, ensuring the safety of those clients who are at high risk for hospitalization.
“San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health is one of the first agencies focused on behavioral health and substance abuse to use data warehousing and analytics in this way,” said, Paula Joshi, Vice President, SAS State and Local Government Practice. “We look forward to working with them to take services to a new level for their citizens.”
SAS® is used in all 50 states and more than 115 local governments to transform their operations to deliver the right services, at the right time, with the appropriate resources. SAS offers a wide array of data integration, business intelligence and analytics solutions, and collaborates with government agencies to create innovative programs tailored to specific departmental and agency goals.
