How we grew to become suicide prevention experts
How does a tele-mental health company grow from a technology company?
When U.S. Navy officer Dan Frank founded Three Wire Systems in 2006, he had one mission: to design technology that fosters change for the military and veteran community. In its first year, Three Wire focused on providing IT and cybersecurity solutions for government agencies.
After securing a contract with the Department of Veterans Affairs to help with its regional health care network in 2007, a new service was born. At the time, Three Wire’s newly developed department, VetAdvisor, utilized Three Wire’s technology infrastructure to connect veterans with community resources including mental health care, financial planning and workforce development resources. The program exploded and soon we were answering more than 40,000 messages a month. In 2019, the VetAdvisor program was expanded to form the MyAdvisor Division of Three Wire Systems. Myadvisor services extend support to other professions including EMTs, police officers, firefighters, crisis care workers, educators and more.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression have always plagued the veteran community and those working in high-stress roles. For this reason, we’ve focused on offering proven methods for helping men and women with all mental health concerns. Below is additional information about our program and services.
We’re a certified crisis center
In 2018, we completed a three-year accreditation program to become an approved Crisis Intervention Center through the American Association of Suicidology (AAS). We joined a short list of 113 AAS accredited organizations, with only two others in the state of Pennsylvania. At the end of 2020 we were named the Crisis Call Center of the Year by the AAS.
AAS accredited programs assure that veterans are receiving committed care recognized by national standards throughout the program’s lifetime. At MyAdvisor, we are trained to identify when an individual needs immediate care, take the appropriate steps to triage the situation, and find the best resources for ongoing support.
We offer high-tech, high-touch solutions
While mental health and suicide awareness is becoming a global conversation, many still feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help.
Our experience has taught us that working with each individual on a customized plan and specific goals has not only helped men and women overcome a challenge, they stay engaged. Studies report that 50% of patients drop out of treatment prematurely due to a lack of faith in their provider, but we’ve found that after one consultation with a care representative, 25% of clients increase their Quality of Life Satisfaction score.
We believe in high-tech and high-touch solutions, meaning we combine technology and one-on-one care to help our clients solve their problems. As an example, we designed our own case management system so our care coordinators can collect and record data including biometric data, individual inputs and other case notes all in real-time and in one place. Learn more about our Advisor Outcomes Platform (AOP) here.
We focus on holistic care
When it comes to mental health, there are often many doors and warning signs that must be considered. That’s why we cater to holistic care needs, meaning we look at an individual’s physical, mental and emotional needs to analyze a problem and find a long-term solution.
Through technology, we connect our clients with a range of medical experts including psychiatrists, psychologists, certified lifestyle coaches, licensed social workers, RN’s and other clinical professionals. Whether clients prefer phone, text, email or other means of communication, our staff is available 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
We started our company to address the increasing veteran suicide rates. Studies show from 2007 to 2017, the rate of suicide among veterans jumped almost 50 percent. Today, veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than civilians and for female veterans, the risk factor is 2.2 times more likely.
From our success helping veterans, we know we can help the larger population as well. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the suicide rate in the U.S. has been steadily increasing over the past two decades. NIMH studies have also shown that universal suicide risk screening and integration of risk prediction analysis by programs, like the AOP, have been proven as effective in preventing suicide attempts.
The need for intentional and personal holistic care is essential. We know we can help our nation address this growing problem, which is why we contract with private and public sector employers who are looking to offer mental health benefits to its employees.
Learn more about our services on our website or contact us at info@threewiresys.com