Summary of Retrospective Survey
Conducted for Aspen Achievement Academy May 1995A retrospective telephone survey of Aspen Academy graduates is currently in process. This report is based upon a limited sample of those graduates. The study is not considered to be in place of a concurrent outcomes measured clinical quality improvement model. Rather, the study was designed to investigate the efficacy of some of the program variables. The clinical quality improvement model of self study is in its beginning stages within the program.
Point of Entry
96% of the Aspen graduates have had treatment with a mental health professional prior to attending the program. Of these, 61 % had received inpatient treatment, and 83% had received out patient treatment. 76% had indicated they had received partial hospitalization prior to attending Aspen, 24% had received residential care. Of those receiving higher level of care, 65% had been under care for a period of time greater than one month (of those same patients 53% had received care greater than two (2) months). Of all of those patients who had received professional mental health care, 70% had been under the care of a psychologist, and of those seventy percent, 61% had received care from both a psychologist and a psychiatrist. The majority ofthe admissions had been influenced by a licensed mental health professional to attend Aspen.
Family Involvement
It is clear that for those attending Aspen Academy, family problems abound. 79% of those responding indicated family relationship problems between the parents and the child attending Aspen prior to attending. Of those who identified family problems, 84% of them identified these family problems as the reason for participating at Aspen. Of interest is that of those who identified family problems as a reason for participating at Aspen, 88% had been involved in treatment with a mental health professional prior to attending Aspen.
Since family problems are identified as a key reason for attending Aspen, it is important to note that 83% of those same families were involved in family treatment while their child was at Aspen. Each of those families (100%) stated they had been compliant to treatment recommendations made by the clinical professional. Family treatment was continues after participating at Aspen by 88% and 72% of those identified themselves as very much involved or greater in their treatment.
Lost Time from Work
As one might expect, if family problems as identified as a key source of reason for participating at Aspen, then the same problems would interfere with activities of daily living. One key area the experiences this interference is time away from productive work. All (100%) of the families surveyed indicated that they had lost time from work due to these problems. The graph below depicts the effect of that lost time.
Satisfaction Level
The parents responding to the telephone survey were asked to rate the benefit from attending Aspen, 96% of those said they definitely received a benefit from attending. In addition to rating their level of satisfaction with significant benefit, 92% of the parents reported that they would refer someone else to Aspen Academy. And, the majority of those surveyed (83%) reported that they would like to return for a short alumni trip if it were made available!
The following graph represents the satisfaction ratings of the respondents to the survey:
