TAO receives funding notice from NSF
December 29, 2014, Gainesville, FL- Gainesville based company, TAO Connect, has received notice that it will receive funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for $225,000. The funding has been awarded as a STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) Phase I grant entitled “STTR Phase I: An Intelligent Mental Health Therapy Tool.”
“Mental health therapy is more effective when it matches the individual values, preferences, and beliefs of the patient. This can be made possible through The Intelligent Mental Health Therapy Tool. This tool will help us develop an on-line treatment system that can be customized for each patient to maximize treatment effectiveness. The Intelligent Mental Health Therapy Tool will use machine learning that will suggest next steps in treatment for both the patient and therapist”, said Dr. Sherry Benton, President and Founder of TAO Connect.
TAO Connect is a seven- to ten-week online program that helps improve treatment outcomes for patients with mental health problems. The program consists of engaging modules that patients can complete online on their computers, tablets or smart phones. Patients videoconference with their counselors each week and also receive text messages several times per week to keep them on track. The result is a new model of treatment delivery that increases the capacity to provide mental health treatment without increasing budgets and staff size. TAO is currently being used at several college and university counseling centers for treatment of anxiety and has a strong pipeline of products targeted towards private practitioners, outpatient mental health clinics, VA medical centers, community mental health centers, and employee assistance programs.
Stephanie George, CEO of TAO Connect views this grant as a milestone in the company’s history, “The National Science Foundation is a premier organization that works towards promotion and progress of science. It is a great honor to be recognized by such an organization. The grant will help us advance our product portfolio for mental health treatment, create jobs, and provide customized treatment options for patients with mental health conditions”, said Ms. George.
About The National Science Foundation:
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2014, its budget is $7.2 billion. Each year, NSF receives about 50,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,500 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $593 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
For more information on this release, please contact:
Stephanie George, MBA,
CEO, TAO Connect
844-438-8262