Efficient and Effective Web Based Delivery
POSIT Plus is the first-ever web-based delivery of the teen screening instrument. The web-based approach makes it easier to deliver the screening tool in a manner that improves teen participation in the screening and improves the overall accuracy of the results. The web based delivery eliminates the need for local hardware and software and reduces the cost associated with maintaining local technology to support PC based licenses.
Adaptive Technology Increases Accuracy and Reliability
When a teen takes the POSIT Plus screening, the voice-guided questionnaire adapts based on the gender and language of the teen. Teens find it easier to understand the questions and response choices in their native language. Additionally, hearing questions in either a male or female voice helps teens to be more comfortable with the screening process. Lastly, today's teens tend to be technologically-savvy and can quickly follow the Internet-based approach of POSIT Plus. Each of these factors help to collect an accurate and honest picture of each teen's activities and behaviors.
Outcome Based Risk Screening and Level of Care Determination
POSIT Plus results in a risk profile that provides all of the stakeholders -- schools, law enforcement, youth and families, case managers and communities -- with the ability to improve lives and community-wide outcomes. The POSIT Plus outcome report provides key information to stakeholders regarding the youth's level of risk (low, moderate, high, or acute) and the corresponding level of care (prevention, outpatient, inpatient, hospitialization/detox). This information is a powerful tool that can be used to begin a dialogue that will help connect the youth and family to resources across the continuum of care.
Connecting Youth and Families to Services
POSIT Plus is uniquely designed to work seamlessly with ResourceDirect, a dynamic, web-hosted, directory for listing community resources. Communities who adopt the ResourceDirect and POSIT Plus models can connect youth and families to local resources on-demand at the close of a POSIT Plus administration. Dually licensed communities are provided with a specific url, at the close of the POSIT Plus administration that connects youth and families to resources that address the youth's level of risk and level of care needs.
The POSIT Plus Screening Process
The initial step in using the POSIT Plus Screening is the identification of at risk youth. Identification might be made by school staff for reasons related to truancy, discipline, or decrease in academic performance, by a parent who might be concerned about changes in family relationships or the presence of at risk behavior, by court personnel when a youth presents with behavior indicating risk of mental health, substance use, peer relationships, or other, by health care providers who might recognize substance abuse or mental health issues that underlie the presenting physical complaints or problems, or by other human service providers.
The second step in using the POSIT Plus is the administration of the screening tool. Posit Plus is composed of 137, yes/no items, with ten or more items representing each of the ten functional life areas highlighted below. The POSIT Plus is administered via the internet and provides referral agents with information about presenting risk factors in each of the domain areas. The latter part of the POSIT Plus is the Drug Usage Checklist. This checklist provides drug prevalence information for local drugs and assists in identifying both presenting risk factors and appropriate level of care associated with the corresponding drug use.
The second step in using the POSIT Plus is the administration of the screening tool. Posit Plus is composed of 137, yes/no items, with ten or more items representing each of the ten functional life areas highlighted below. The POSIT Plus is administered via the internet and provides referral agents with information about presenting risk factors in each of the domain areas. The latter part of the POSIT Plus is the Drug Usage Checklist. This checklist provides drug prevalence information for local drugs and assists in identifying both presenting risk factors and appropriate level of care associated with the corresponding drug use.
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POSIT Plus Screens Risk in Ten Functional Life Areas:
- Substance use/abuse
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Family relationships
- Peer relationships
- Educational status (i.e. learning disabilities)
- Social skills
- Leisure and recreation
- Aggressive behavior/delinquency
- Vocational Skills