Thrive Research

Adolescent Wellness & Health Care Reform: What You Need To Know

Health reform had everyone in a tizzy last week at the Employer Healthcare Congress in Los Angeles. Several sessions of both the Corporate Wellness Conference and the Healthcare Reform Conference were devoted to the implications of some of the more complex provisions.

 

Confused? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here’s what you need to know, starting with some terms and a timeline.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPAC) was one of two pieces of “healthcare reform” legislation signed into law last March. Some of the PPAC provisions went into effect immediately and then another set kicked in on June 21. The final set, including the ones for preventive care, became law on September 23.

This final set of provisions now requires health plans to cover the preventive care services outlined in Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents.

An aside, but an important one--Bright Futures was developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and Health Resources and Services Administration. This is significant, because all parties agreed on these evidence-based guidelines, making them the de facto standard for all pediatricians, primary care docs, and other physicians treating children.

 

 A key component of the Bright Futures guidelines is a series of Well-Baby and Well-Child visits. These include 31 visits between 0-21 years and cover physical exams, immunizations, hearing and vision screening, developmental and behavioral screening.

In addition to the number of visits now required, another huge change is behavioral screening for mental health as well as obesity. More screening means more identification. More identification means more treatment. It also means that more kids at risk for developing issues will be identified and with the right education and behavior modification, avoid conditions such as diabetes and depression.

 

Bright Futures has published an impressive variety of guides and tools to assist physicians and care providers with implementing the new screenings and visits. According to the guide on Mental Health, “Promoting mental health is one of two themes of special importance.”

Thrive Research offers solutions for payers, providers and employers to provide screening as well as preventive skills training. Our Stanford-developed programs have been shown to reduce the risk of depression, sleep, and eating disorders by at least 25% in adolescents.

To learn more and experience our 3-session trial, visit us at Thrive Research.

 

Lose to Win: Values in Action

Pete Thomas is a real-life Biggest Loser, keeping off 185 lb since his 2005 win on the popular reality show.

He was the keynote speaker  for the Employer Healthcare Congress/Corporate Wellness Conference and inspired folks at the best attended session of the event.

After the keynote and a run (!), Pete also graciously sat down with Thrive Research to learn about our programs and offer insights on successfully maintaining weight loss and well-being.

Pete shared stories of his struggles as the child of a mentally ill single parent, often fed fast food or left to fend for himself. Not surprisingly, he never learned about nutrition and turned to food to fill numerous voids.

His life changed after becoming a contestant on the Biggest Loser’s second season. In the keynote, he candidly shared stories about his teammates and their challenges keeping up with Gillian’s killer workouts, and avoiding the “temptation foods” placed throughout the ranch. Ask him about Jordan almonds and you’re sure to get a smile.

After being voted “off”, he remained committed to what he had learned at the ranch. Returning several months later for the live finale, he became the “At Home” winner by losing the largest total percentage of weight of all the contestants--46%.

Five years later, he’s still at it. Now a full-time motivational speaker and teacher, he encourages folks around the country to, “Master your mind, Manage your mouth, Multiply your muscles.”

Our favorite part of his mantra was the “Master Your Mind” slide (pictured):

Goal setting, behavior modification-cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), self-efficacy.

Sound familiar? These are elements in every one of our programs, so it was music to our ears!

He’s a firm believer that educating children and giving them tools for lasting behavior change is the key to combating obesity. He’s involved in several initiatives in his native Midwest and is even speaking at the NIH in October.

In both the keynote and our sit-down, Pete echoed a theme we heard throughout the Corporate Wellness Conference--self-efficacy.

What is self-efficacy? It’s a fancy term for the idea that you need to find what works for you. And, it’s also about having heroes and positive role models, whether they’re reality show contestants or co-workers around the water cooler.

We heard the importance of providing tools for self-efficacy from employers such as Black & Decker, who offer employees $1200/year in “Healthy Rewards” toward a choice of gyms, exercise equipment or other programs of their choice. Wellness tool provider Limeade reiterated self-efficacy's importance in detailing how companies like REI and the State of Washington are using personalized approaches to get widespread results.

While Pete was home before the Biggest Loser finale, he continued to educate himself and exercise…a lot. He set up weekly alerts on obesity and weight loss research that he continues to monitor, even today. After initial success and ultimate failure on well-known diets such as Atkins and Body for Life, he became convinced that he needed to find “what worked for him.”

Pete embodies so many of the values we hold dear and draw on in our programs. He’s living proof that with the right mix of training, techniques, and perseverance, everyone can thrive!

 

 

Antidote to Archery?

A recent conversation with a college counselor/therapist and mother of two left me stupefied.    

She reported that kids are learning to "hate" exercise because of the PE activities they're forced to do in school--basically running laps and archery. 

My first thought was, "Is this like the 1950s?" 

Fitness has come a long way since the days of kickball,  so I was shocked that things like yoga, Pilates, even simple ball games aren't routinely taught and played during PE.

Some schools, though, are getting the connection between fitness and improved well-being.  Better yet, they're implementing programs like Skate Pass to include activities that students actually want to do--like skateboarding.

The Skate Pass program costs schools about $3000 to implement and has gotten rave reviews. According to one administrator, tardies and absences have been reduced dramatically and students are more alert for their classes.

Check out how Thrive Research's Stanford developed PeakPerformance programs can keep your student balanced...on the board and off.

 

 

Observations from the Corporate Wellness Conference

Team Thrive is exhibiting at the Corporate Wellness Conference in Los Angeles this week. We’ve had a steady procession of employers, payers, and plan administrators stopping by the booth to learn about our Adolescent Wellness solutions...and pick up some chocolates.

A number of these folks are parents and immediately “get” what we do.

One of the most interesting comments we heard was from a benefits broker and mother of four:
“…so many things in life require licensing or certification and include a lot of training and support. Being a parent doesn’t require any sort of qualification…millions of things can go wrong and often times, there’s nowhere to turn for guidance or advice.”

This is a theme we’ve heard repeatedly. Although many employer benefits programs address issues like planning for college or crisis support, none offer the kind of comprehensive support that our PeakPerformance solutions do.

We support parents and adolescents in building skills to prevent issues and improve key aspects of wellness including sleep, mood, nutrition, stress, fitness, and social connections.

Our evidence-based, online solutions also give families a framework to discuss difficult issues like alcohol and substance abuse.

Thrive solutions are a great fit for any company that wants to support employees with adolescents.  By giving employees essential tools, employers can keep them focused and productive instead of distracted.   

Now that's a real benefit for everyone!

Divorce & Other Transitions: Helping Your Child Cope

Sarah was hit hard by her parents' divorce. The fact they broke the news to her just as she was getting ready to leave home for college didn't help matters.

 "Our divorce was devastating for all our kids," says Sarah's mom, Trina, "but the timing was really awful for Sarah."

 Seeing how much Sarah was struggling during this highly emotional time, her tutor, Corinne, recommended Thrive Research's PeakPerformance. The program promotes positive thinking, feelings, and emotions, and creates a balanced mindset of mental and physical health.

 "I meet with Sarah once a week for academic coaching," says Corinne. "Thrive's programs offer kids a way to boost their academics, yet I saw an opportunity to help Sarah in other ways. Providing her with coping skills, and just letting her know that other people were going through similar traumatic events, really seemed important."

 "I'd never heard of Thrive," says Trina. "But I trust Corinne, and so does Sarah. It seems like a good idea."

 Thrive designs its programs based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: a psychotherapeutic approach that aims to educate students about critical issues and prevent or solve problems concerning emotions, behaviors, and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic procedure. This therapy is based upon a combination of basic behavioral and cognitive research. With Thrive's interactive, online programs, teens and young adults learn skills that can improve their lives both now and in the future.

 "There are no easy answers for what Sarah is going through," says Corinne. "These sessions are definitely a step in the right direction for her."

Learn more and get your free 3-session trial here.

 

Evidence-Based Matters: Thrive & Healthcare Reform

Nice coverage in today's National Healthcare Reform Magazine! 

Great to see that adolescent wellness is getting what the attention it deserves.  Read on for more details...

1 in 10 ADOLESCENTS SUFFERS FROM A MOOD DISORDER

Thrive Research Introduces Novel Online Adolescent Wellness Solution at 2^nd Annual Corporate Wellness Conference, Sept 20-22         

Adolescence (13 to 19 years) and young adulthood (through mid-20s) is a time of enormous change, both physically and emotionally.  Recent studies have shown that 1 in 10 adolescents suffer from a mood disorder at least once.  Episodes of depression and anxiety are particularly problematic, as they impact the entire family, are expensive to treat, and increase the risks of future disorders.

Thrive Research and Stanford University’s Department of Behavioral Sciences have developed an evidence-based online solution that addresses the six key areas of adolescent wellness:  mood, stress, sleep, nutrition, fitness and social connections.   Because the six areas are interrelated, issues in one area increase the risk of issues in another.  For example, sleep issues increase the risk of mood disorders as well as obesity.

Individuals and corporations can subscribe to this private, cost-effective, comprehensive solution tailored to the individual needs of adolescents.  Each solution consists of programs with a variety of activities to teach skill building in the six key wellness areas. 

Although Thrive’s solutions are not meant to replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, they can be used in conjunction with traditional talk and medication therapies.  More importantly, they are  evidence-based and proven to reduce the risk of mood disorders in adolescents at high risk for depression, anxiety, sleep, and weight issues. 

Founder and CEO Jonathan Davar Golding explains “Consumers are increasingly looking to technology to enable them to take charge of their health and wellness.   Thrive is at the forefront of this Health 2.0 revolution, incorporating traditional elements of assessment, tracking and feedback into our solutions.  We take this concept even further by combining these elements with evidence-based techniques to change behavior for life.  No other solution offers this comprehensive approach.”

About Thrive Research, Inc

Thrive Research’s solutions have been developed with top researchers in the field of adolescent behavior at Stanford University’s Department of Behavioral Sciences.  Researchers identify an adolescent need (e.g. eating disorder) and use relevant research to develop and test actual programs.   In a collaborative partnership with Stanford University, Thrive Research adds robust online functionality and communication tools to produce and distribute adolescent health, wellness and prevention programs.  

Assessments: What Gets Measured Gets Managed

Thrive Research develops online programs focused on adolescent health and wellbeing.

 

Although our programs focus on prevention and are not clinical treatments, we believe strongly in the power of measurement to make our programs as effective as possible.

Detailed assessments are a key component of “how it works”.

Pre-assessments are used to determine risk levels and direct students to the content that best meets their needs. For example, if a student scores high for depression risk in the pre-assessment, he/she will be directed to the appropriate content…and parents will be notified if appropriate. Similarly, if scores indicate that the student is experiencing sleep issues, they’ll be directed to the Refresh (sleep hygiene) program.

Thrive also uses interim (weekly and end-of-session) assessments to mark progress, reinforce skills, and measure the student’s “intent to change”.

Post-assessments are used to understanding skill development as well as to understand if/how programs have changed risk levels.

Learn more about Thrive’s use of assessments in this video or visit us at Thrive Research.

 

 

What Does Success Look Like?

Moving the high school graduation rate from 33% to 91% is an astonishing feat. Washington DC’s SEED school is doing this and more--95% of its students are also going to college.

60 Minutes recently profiled the SEED school, the nation’s first urban, public boarding school. While the academic success and staff dedication are both remarkable, the focus on building social-emotional skills is equally impressive. Instead of TV and Facebook in the evenings, students are schooled in social skills, like self-discipline and etiquette.

The results are best exemplified by this exchange with reporter Byron Pitt, who asked two students, “What does success look like?”

"You’re always supposed to believe in yourself," Melvin said.

"What I think success is kinda what you're like. You're smart, intelligent. You're a nice reporter. You dress nice. Your shoes are pretty. And it is that knowin' that you're gonna be something in life," Frances said.

"You gonna make it?" Pitts asked.

"Yes!" she replied.

Thrive realizes that not every student who needs it can receive this level of individual attention. Currently, we’re working with three local nonprofit youth organizations and nine low/mid socioeconomic status public and private high schools.

We remain committed to making our programs available for widespread implementation and being part of “what success looks like” for all students.  Join us at Thrive Research.

 

 

 

 

 

Thrive Research: Adolescent Wellness Products Now Available On Amazon

You asked for it, you got it...Thrive is live on Amazon!

The products will be packaged and sold a little differently in order to meet Amazon's requirements.

Buyers will be sent access codes via email and then shipped by Priority Mail a CD ROM and hard copy of our Understanding Adolescent Wellness: An Overview.  For multi-program products like PeakPerformance, buyers will purchase the entire product (High School or College) instead of a suscription. 

Happy shopping!

Achievement or Overachievement?

Amy was the perfect example of a "model student." She was a team leader in two sports, held down the Treasurer's office in student government, spent weekends at the local Humane Society, and compiled a 4.0 GPA. Teachers, coaches, and parents admired her hard work and determination, while other kids were envious of her achievements.

 So why were her mom and dad worried?

 "She was pushing herself too hard," says Amy's mother, Susan. "Her schedule was incredibly hectic, and she was hard on herself if she felt she wasn't the best at everything.

 Amy's father, Lars, adds, "I think we were the only parents telling our kid to slow down."

Looking back, Amy agrees. "I was determined to excel so I'd get into the best schools. Good grades weren't enough."

Amy was sure to be accepted by most colleges she applied for – but her parents were concerned.

"Kids are supposed to have fun," says Susan. "Amy worked so hard, she was too tired for fun."

Not surprising, actually, since according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry “school demands and frustrations” and “taking on too many activities or having too high expectations” are the leading causes of teenage stress which, in turn, often leads to sleep deprivation and poor eating habits.

 "She was pushing herself to the point of exhaustion," says Lars.

That's when Susan heard about Thrive Research's PeakPerformance, a set of 10 unique programs with multiple sessions and online activities teaching students ways to stay healthy, happy, and productive through the challenges of high school life.

"I got tons of great ideas from it," says Amy.

"It's like it was written with her in mind," adds Susan. "It really resonated with Amy."

Finding ways to improve her sleeping and eating habits were just a couple benefits PeakPerformance gave Amy. The program also provided her with strategies to gain pleasure and meaning from the activities Amy chose.

That means the entire family is resting easier.