Frequently Asked Questions
- What is this database and for whom is it intended?
This database is a collection of commonly used treatment outcomes measures that can be used to diagnose and screen for mental illness or to monitor treatment progress. It is geared towards clinicians and agencies who are seeking to improve clinical practices through simplifying screening processes and more efficiently recording a client’s treatment progress. In addition, researchers and students can use this database to browse measures that are valid and sensitive to treatment.
- How was this database developed?
With generous support from the New York State Health Foundation, the Community Technical Assistance Center of New York (CTAC) team developed this database through research and working with partner providers to compile available and frequently used outcome measures.
- How do I use this database?
Because we have prioritized the user’s experience in creating our database, we have included a variety of search options so you can easily find the right measure. If you are looking to browse all available measures, simply select the “all” option on the home page. To search for a specific diagnosis, you can enter a keyword in the search bar or select an outcome category (behavioral health, global screening, relationships, etc.) on the home page or select an indicator (depression, PTSD, anxiety, etc.) within our advanced search option. Our advanced search option allows you to narrow down your search by indicator, target population, and cost. Each measure includes a brief description, publication information, and a link to the measure itself.
- Is registration required?
Yes. The assessment database is part of a larger project designed to assist mental health clinics in New York State. If you are not participating in other elements of the Outputs to Outcomes project or associated with a Mental Health Clinic in New York State we still welcome your interest and use of the database. Please simply register using “other” instead of selecting a Region and Agency.
- I'm having difficulty registering. What should I do?
The Output to Outcomes site is compatible with current versions of most commonly used browsers (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, etc). If you are having technical difficulties with registering, please double check to make sure you are using the current version of your preferred browser or try opening the page using an alternative browser. If you are still having any difficulty, please e-mail CTAC.info@nyu.edu.
- What does the dollar symbol mean?
The dollar sign denotes that there is a cost to access a measure. Many free measures are included in our database, which you can identify by selecting the “free” option within the advanced search, sorting results by whether they are free, or by browsing for measures without the dollar sign.
- What does “sensitive to treatment” mean?
“Sensitive to treatment” indicates that a measure has been used in a treatment intervention at both pre and post-test to determine the efficacy of a certain treatment program or protocol. These measures can therefore reliably detect treatment progress.
- What does it mean if a measure is “reliable” or “valid”?
A reliable or valid measure has been subject to a research study that determined that its psychometric properties were sound and acceptable for clinical or treatment purposes.
- I am looking for a measure that is not listed on the database. Why hasn’t it been included and where can I find it?
If you cannot find a measure on our database, please contact us at ctac.info@nyu.edu and we will gladly assist with your search. We are constantly looking to improve our database and to maximize user experience, so we welcome your inquiries and suggestions for any additional measures that may not already be included.
- Who can I contact if I have any further questions?
Please email ctac.info@nyu.edu with any further questions or feedback. We love hearing from our users!
