Editorial Policy
Editorial Policy | Links to External Sites | Conflict of Interest
Mygcal.com Resource Directory | Editorial Process | Editorial Team
1. Editorial Policy
Behavioral
Health Link (BHL) has the goal of providing accurate and useful
information through its Web site, behavioralhealthlink.com. All
healthcare content that is on this Web site should be viewed as general
information, intended to add to your knowledge and understanding of
behavioral health issues and ways to find resources for help; it is not
a substitute for a professional relationship with your own healthcare
provider and no claim of therapeutic benefit is made. It is not
intended for use in an emergency (in case of emergency, call the
Georgia Crisis and Access Line – 1-800-715-4225 – for mental health-
and substance abuse-related issues, or 911 for medical and other
problems).
Prior
to distribution or viewing, all health content posted on the Web site
is reviewed for clinical accuracy, regulatory compliance, readability
and usefulness to users. BHL is vigilant in avoiding any content
containing false or misleading information. The writing style
throughout the Web site is designed to be easily understood on first
reading, using non-technical language and short sentences.
We
strive to provide information that reflects well-established, consensus
positions on health issues, rooted in evidence-based research, national
guidelines, best practice, and reputable resources and not on consumer
or secondary sources (consumer opinion and feedback may be presented as
news items which are clearly labeled and differentiated from health
information). The author and/or source of the information will be cited
when appropriate. Health information is dated, and the date of the most
recent review or update is posted. Any content developed by third
parties and used on the Web site is held to these same standards and
review processes. Third-party content is in the public domain, used by
permission, or licensed.
2. Links to External Sites
BHL
does not have any financial or business relationships based on links to
external sites. Linked sites are selected and approved by the Editorial
Review team based on the perceived quality of information on those
sites and usefulness to BHL’s Web site users. Information obtained from
any external site linked to our Web site is intended for general
knowledge only and does not imply endorsement or recommendation by BHL.
Users are alerted that they are leaving the BHL Web site any time they
select a link to an external Web site, and should review the policies
of each Web site they visit to determine for themselves their security,
and the usefulness and reliability of information they post.
External
links are checked regularly by BHL staff for functionality, and site
users are encouraged to alert staff of any non-functioning links
through the feedback utility on the Contact Us page.
3. Conflict of Interest Policy for Health Content
Health
information posted on behavioralheathlink.com is linked to information
about its author(s) and/or reviewers that assists the user in making
judgments about the quality of the information and any conflict of
interest that might exist in presenting the information. This includes
a brief professional biography of each author or reviewer with his or
her professional and relevant business affiliations. Writing, selection
and review of Web site content is done exclusively in-house by BHL
staff and contractors, who are required to disclose any financial or
other interest that could affect their judgment with regard to the Web
site. Disclosure should be made to the Chair of the Web site Quality
Oversight Committee or to the BHL Chief of Operations, who will review
possible conflict with company officers. All staff involved in the Web
site operation receive training in avoiding conflicts of interest.
BHL's
Web site is not a commercial endeavor, in that it does not sell
anything and does not accept advertising, promotions or sponsorships.
It is presented as a public service. The Web site directs users to
BHL's Call Center, which is a publicly-funded service, available to all
callers at no cost.
To
this end, all health content on BHL's Web site will (1) identify the
source of the information, where appropriate, (2) be selected solely on
the merits of information provided, and (3) forbid the identification
of specific products where one could reasonably infer that BHL was
endorsing such a specific product to the source's commercial
advantage.
4. Mygcal.com Resource Directory
Mygcal.com
is the local resource directory of mental health, substance abuse, and
developmental disabilities services that is linked to the BHL Web site.
This directory is supported through a contract with the Georgia
Department of Human Resources (DHR) for the purpose of giving the
public a means of finding help in their communities. The primary
intended user population is persons in need of DHR-funded services.
Users can find a variety of agencies on the directory, giving them
choice of provider and location. Having located a provider of choice
through the Directory, users have the option of contacting the provider
directly or calling the Georgia Crisis and Access Line (1-800-715-4225)
to be linked to service. BHL receives no financial or business benefit
from providers listed in the directory; sole funding is through the
contract with DHR.
5. Authors and Editorial Process
All
information is gathered from evidence-based research, national
guidelines, best practice, and reputable resources and written or
reviewed by licensed health professionals. The internal reviewers will
be identified, and the author and/or source of the information will be
cited whenever possible. Information is included about author(s) and/or
reviewers that enables the user to make judgments about the quality of
the information; this includes a brief professional biography of each
author or reviewer with his or her professional qualifications.
Prior
to distribution or viewing, all health content posted on the Web site
is reviewed for clinical accuracy, regulatory compliance, readability
and functionality. All content developed by third parties and used on
behavioralhealthlink.com is held to these same standards and review
processes. Health content is reviewed by two members of the Editorial
Review Team in addition to the author or the Team member who selected
the item. All items with medical content are reviewed by the Medical
Director and at least one other Editorial Review Team member.
The
Editorial Review Team members are licensed behavioral health
professionals, functioning under the standards of practice and ethics
guidelines of their license boards, professional associations, and
BHL’s mission, vision and values. All health content on the Web site is
written or selected by members of the Team, and approved prior to
posting by at least two members of the Team other than the member who
wrote or selected the item to be posted.
6. Editorial Review Team
The members of the Editorial Review Team are:
Bruce Albert, PhD, LCSW
– Dr. Albert is a clinical social worker with many years of mental
health practice and management in public, and private settings. He is a
graduate of Yale University (MA), George Williams College (MSW) and the
University of Chicago (PhD). Dr. Albert is Director of Quality
Management at BHL.
Mahaveer Vakharia, MD
– A Board-Certified psychiatrist with extensive outpatient and hospital
experience, Dr. Vakharia is BHL’s Medical Director. He completed his
medical degree at Indira Ghandhi Medical College, Maharashtra, India
and served a psychiatric residency at Bergen Pines County Hospital,
Paramus, NJ. Dr. Vakharia is a contractor with BHL; he is also on the
staff of Anchor Hospital in Atlanta, GA and has privileges to practice
a other hospitals in addition to his private practice.
Allison Trammell, LCSW
- Director of Quality Management, has over fifteen years experience as
a licensed social worker in direct practice, program management and
staff development. Ms. Trammell is a graduate of the Clark Atlanta
University School of Social Work where she received her MSW, and
completed her undergraduate degree at Fordham University in New York
City. |
