ATW to Lead Diagnostic Youth Mental Health Excellence (DYME) Project
[Chicago, Illinois] - ATW Health Solutions (ATW) is pleased to announce that in partnership with the National Quality Foundation (NQF) Leadership Consortium, the Diagnostic Youth Mental Health Excellence (DYME) Project, a pivotal initiative aimed at addressing the critical need for culturally inclusive and effective mental health diagnostic tools for youth.
This project seeks to respond to the alarming rise in youth suicidality, particularly among adolescents from underserved and diverse communities, by advancing understanding through two key efforts, including conducting an environmental scan to evaluate cultural appropriateness and representativeness. Further, this initiative will draw on the innovative efforts of ATW to leverage its expertise in Patient-Centered Engagement through the ATW Patient Partner Innovation Community (PPIC). Central to this effort, the project will capture the lived experiences of youth patients and their families, and these insights will guide the development of tools that are more inclusive and reflective of real-world challenges.
Why This Project Matters
Youth suicidality trends, particularly among Black adolescents, underscore the need for diagnostic practices that consider cultural sensitivity, social dynamics, and systemic inequities (Lindsey et al., 2019). Existing tools often fail to address these nuances, leading to under-assessment of risk in vulnerable populations (Cwik et al., 2020). DYME aims to close these gaps by grounding solutions in representativeness, collaboration, and real-world applicability.
Proposed Outcomes
This project represents a meaningful opportunity to make a difference in youth mental health by creating best practice models, which will ultimately be used to develop guidelines to inform policy change.
ATW is deeply grateful for this unique and innovative partnership as we share your dedication and expertise, which leads to improving the quality of life for diverse communities and for the guidance that will lead to generalized data for evidenced-based patient safety and healthcare quality.
For further information, please contact Dr. Knitasha Washington, DHA, FACHE, CEO and President of ATW Health Solutions, at kwashington@atwhealth.com.
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About ATW Health Solutions
ATW Health Solutions (ATW) transforms healthcare delivery systems through engagement and equity. Our unique approach aligns best practices to promote safe, high-quality care—with improved outcomes, reduced costs, and increased trust—for everyone. Since its inception, ATW has partnered with governments, agencies, academia, and industry to deliver products and services that are Raising Healthcare’s Standard™. These efforts have established ATW as a recognized leader in driving better health policies, health equity, and engagement of patients, families, and communities industrywide. Learn more at www.atwhealth.com.
About National Quality Forum
The National Quality Forum (NQF) is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan, membership-based organization that works to improve healthcare outcomes, safety, equity, and affordability. Its unique role is to bring all voices to the table to forge multistakeholder consensus on quality measurement and improvement standards and practices that achieve measurable health improvements for all. NQF is a proud affiliate of The Joint Commission. Learn more at www.qualityforum.org.