Polaris Health Directions Inc.
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ABOUT POLARIS
POLARIS HEALTH DIRECTIONS develops and markets behavioral health
outcomes assessment and management systems used by health care
providers, managed care organizations, government agencies and
pharmaceutical companies to help deliver better health outcomes at a
reduced cost. We focus on markets where mental health conditions
impact physical health (e.g., cardiac disease, primary care) and an
individual’s welfare (e.g., child welfare, domestic violence, treatment of
troubled youths).
Our products were developed with more than $10 million in funding from
the National Institutes of Health. These funding awards are highly competitive
and require both scientific and conceptual excellence. In addition, Polaris has
invested several million dollars of its own funds for commercialization and
product enhancement. Polaris, founded in 1997, is a privately owned
organization based in Pennsylvania.
We recognize the impact poor mental health can have on an individual’s
physical well-being and welfare. Our solutions help our clients identify,
monitor and address mental health conditions and substance abuse to curb
long-term health effects and costs.
FOUNDERS/EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
Dr. Ken Howard, now deceased, was a pioneer of the movement to use data to manage and improve treatment outcomes. He was the recipient of the American Psychological Association's award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Knowledge, in 1995; the Illinois Psychological Association's 1994 award for Outstanding Contribution to Professional Psychology; the 1990 Distinguished Research Career Award of the international Society for Psychotherapy Research; and a Senior Research Scientist Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (1991-96). Among his many achievements, Dr. Howard was internationally recognized for his foundational research in mental health treatment outcomes, including the Dose and Phase models of psychotherapy, and derivation of the breakthrough Expected Treatment Response (ETR) curve, which is incorporated into many of Polaris’s products. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Chicago and received clinical training at local U.S. Veterans Administration hospitals.
Dr. Grant Grissom, CEO and President, has overseen the successful development of all Polaris products, and is the lead scientific developer behind Polaris’s medical products. Over the course of his career, Dr. Grissom has been the Principal Investigator for more than 25 grants awarded to his research teams by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Mental Health (NIMH), Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the federal Departments of Education, Justice and Defense. He has authored two books on behavioral health outcomes research, and over thirty articles in scientific and professional journals, including the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, the Journal of Psychotherapy Research, and Archives of General Psychiatry. He has presented his teams' research at numerous national conferences. Dr. Grissom has earned degrees in mathematics, computer science and counseling/child development.
Martin Nankin, Principal and Chief Strategic Officer, provides direction for the marketing and commercialization of the Polaris solutions. Mr. Nankin has delivered executive level operational and consulting services to a broad range of private industry and human service organizations. His human service consulting experience includes work for mental health facilities, correctional institutes, behavioral healthcare facilities and state government agencies that provided care to the most difficult institutionalized populations. He was a founder of a regional community based residential treatment program for “hard to serve” special needs populations. He has published on outcomes and has spoken in educational and professional venues on managing and implementing change. He is also currently the Chairman of Field Diagnostic Services Inc, a start up energy business that is now a Bank of America affiliated company in their Green Fund portfolio. Mr. Nankin earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a Master of Science degree in Organizational Management from Antioch University.
Greg Alonzo, Chief Operating Officer, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Polaris, as well as IT development and the implementation of Polaris solutions. Mr. Alonzo has more than twenty years of experience in the fields of healthcare and technology, where he has worked with companies to rapidly grow their businesses and deliver superior products and services. As a former associate partner at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and at Price Waterhouse, his clients included many leading companies in the healthcare industry, as well as rapidly growing smaller firms. Mr. Alonzo was also chief financial officer for a start-up specialty pharmaceutical company. He holds an MBA from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College.
Dr. Linda Toche-Manley, Vice President, is the primary scientific developer for Polaris solutions for the public sector and is also responsible for public sector marketing and oversight. Her extensive experience as a consultant and evaluator on national and state systems of care projects has prepared her to understand the complex needs of the public sector customer. She is now working on developing a product for high functioning autism and Asperger’s youth and for adolescent health. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from Claremont University and an executive certificate in Entrepreneurial Business from Lehigh University.
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Our board members are internationally respected leaders in behavioral health assessment and research:
Wolfgang Lutz, Ph.D
Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Trier, Germany
John Lyons, Ph.D.
Professor, School of Psychology
University of Ottawa, Canada
Bruce E. Wampold, Ph.D., ABPP
Professor, Department of Counseling Psychology
University of Wisconsin—Madison
POLARIS COLLABORATORS
In addition to Polaris’s executive team and staff, and scientific advisory board, Polaris collaborates with more than 20 experts in the fields of autism, domestic violence, emergency medicine, cancer, chemical dependency, patient empowerment, mental health, child services and other specialties.
Polaris also has collaborative national and international organizational partnerships with Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente, Magellan Health Services, New Hope Foundation, New Life Youth Services, UC San Diego, Cooper Medical System, the Philadelphia Cardiovascular Institute, Einstein Health System, Lenox Hill Hospital, Center For Patient Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin, University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of California at San Diego, University of Massachusetts, Jackson State University, University of Nebraska and with the Canadian military.
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POLARIS HEALTH DIRECTIONS develops and markets behavioral health
outcomes assessment and management systems used by health care
providers, managed care organizations, government agencies and
pharmaceutical companies to help deliver better health outcomes at a
reduced cost. We focus on markets where mental health conditions
impact physical health (e.g., cardiac disease, primary care) and an
individual’s welfare (e.g., child welfare, domestic violence, treatment of
troubled youths).
Our products were developed with more than $10 million in funding from
the National Institutes of Health. These funding awards are highly competitive
and require both scientific and conceptual excellence. In addition, Polaris has
invested several million dollars of its own funds for commercialization and
product enhancement. Polaris, founded in 1997, is a privately owned
organization based in Pennsylvania.
We recognize the impact poor mental health can have on an individual’s
physical well-being and welfare. Our solutions help our clients identify,
monitor and address mental health conditions and substance abuse to curb
long-term health effects and costs.
FOUNDERS/EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
Dr. Ken Howard, now deceased, was a pioneer of the movement to use data to manage and improve treatment outcomes. He was the recipient of the American Psychological Association's award for Distinguished Professional Contributions to Knowledge, in 1995; the Illinois Psychological Association's 1994 award for Outstanding Contribution to Professional Psychology; the 1990 Distinguished Research Career Award of the international Society for Psychotherapy Research; and a Senior Research Scientist Award from the National Institute of Mental Health (1991-96). Among his many achievements, Dr. Howard was internationally recognized for his foundational research in mental health treatment outcomes, including the Dose and Phase models of psychotherapy, and derivation of the breakthrough Expected Treatment Response (ETR) curve, which is incorporated into many of Polaris’s products. He earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Chicago and received clinical training at local U.S. Veterans Administration hospitals.
Dr. Grant Grissom, CEO and President, has overseen the successful development of all Polaris products, and is the lead scientific developer behind Polaris’s medical products. Over the course of his career, Dr. Grissom has been the Principal Investigator for more than 25 grants awarded to his research teams by the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Mental Health (NIMH), Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the federal Departments of Education, Justice and Defense. He has authored two books on behavioral health outcomes research, and over thirty articles in scientific and professional journals, including the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, the Journal of Psychotherapy Research, and Archives of General Psychiatry. He has presented his teams' research at numerous national conferences. Dr. Grissom has earned degrees in mathematics, computer science and counseling/child development.
Martin Nankin, Principal and Chief Strategic Officer, provides direction for the marketing and commercialization of the Polaris solutions. Mr. Nankin has delivered executive level operational and consulting services to a broad range of private industry and human service organizations. His human service consulting experience includes work for mental health facilities, correctional institutes, behavioral healthcare facilities and state government agencies that provided care to the most difficult institutionalized populations. He was a founder of a regional community based residential treatment program for “hard to serve” special needs populations. He has published on outcomes and has spoken in educational and professional venues on managing and implementing change. He is also currently the Chairman of Field Diagnostic Services Inc, a start up energy business that is now a Bank of America affiliated company in their Green Fund portfolio. Mr. Nankin earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University, an MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a Master of Science degree in Organizational Management from Antioch University.
Greg Alonzo, Chief Operating Officer, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Polaris, as well as IT development and the implementation of Polaris solutions. Mr. Alonzo has more than twenty years of experience in the fields of healthcare and technology, where he has worked with companies to rapidly grow their businesses and deliver superior products and services. As a former associate partner at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and at Price Waterhouse, his clients included many leading companies in the healthcare industry, as well as rapidly growing smaller firms. Mr. Alonzo was also chief financial officer for a start-up specialty pharmaceutical company. He holds an MBA from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College.
Dr. Linda Toche-Manley, Vice President, is the primary scientific developer for Polaris solutions for the public sector and is also responsible for public sector marketing and oversight. Her extensive experience as a consultant and evaluator on national and state systems of care projects has prepared her to understand the complex needs of the public sector customer. She is now working on developing a product for high functioning autism and Asperger’s youth and for adolescent health. She holds a Ph.D. in Applied Psychology from Claremont University and an executive certificate in Entrepreneurial Business from Lehigh University.
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Our board members are internationally respected leaders in behavioral health assessment and research:
Wolfgang Lutz, Ph.D
Professor, Department of Psychology
University of Trier, Germany
John Lyons, Ph.D.
Professor, School of Psychology
University of Ottawa, Canada
Bruce E. Wampold, Ph.D., ABPP
Professor, Department of Counseling Psychology
University of Wisconsin—Madison
POLARIS COLLABORATORS
In addition to Polaris’s executive team and staff, and scientific advisory board, Polaris collaborates with more than 20 experts in the fields of autism, domestic violence, emergency medicine, cancer, chemical dependency, patient empowerment, mental health, child services and other specialties.
Polaris also has collaborative national and international organizational partnerships with Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente, Magellan Health Services, New Hope Foundation, New Life Youth Services, UC San Diego, Cooper Medical System, the Philadelphia Cardiovascular Institute, Einstein Health System, Lenox Hill Hospital, Center For Patient Partnerships at the University of Wisconsin, University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern University, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of California at San Diego, University of Massachusetts, Jackson State University, University of Nebraska and with the Canadian military.
Print this page.