The Steptoe Group, LLC was founded in 2008 with the corporate headquarters located in Ellicott City, Maryland. The Steptoe Group is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business whose objective is to create sustainable partnerships with government agencies and private organizations in order to improve access and delivery of quality health, science, and education services. The firm accomplishes this objective by utilizing a proprietary business platform that effectively and efficiently integrates training, information management, research and communications in order to improve health outcomes.
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Ronald Steptoe CEO (on left) )and
CJ Jordan Sr VP Govt Relations, Steptoe Group, LLC |
The Steptoe Group, LLC announced on November 6, 2009 the release of its Warrior-Centric Healthcare Training Curriculum for providers treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other mental and behavioral health conditions. The curriculum was developed as a result of a twelve month self-funded assessment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, National Naval Medical Center, Fort Meade’s Warrior Transition Unit / Kimbrough Medical Center, and the Association of the US Army’s 2009 Annual Medical Command Symposium.
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Congressional Military Family Caucus Launch - 1Lt Marcus Brooks Wounded Warrior (far left) Admiral Michael Mullen Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (center) Ronald J Steptoe CEO (on right) |
Lay professionals, and allied health team members upon completion of the Warrior-Centric Healthcare Training Curriculum will be awarded Continuing Medical Education (CME), and Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
The firm has invested over $1 million on self-funded assessments to include a 60 day assessment and evaluation at Fort Meade’s Warrior Transition Unit identifying improvement opportunities and capturing their clinical best practices. The assessments focused on healthcare provider – patient communications, military culture, cultural competency, and the utilization of these components within Military Treatment Facilities (MTF), Veteran Affairs (VA), and Public Health clinical settings.
In addition, the assessments further identified specific needs for uniformed provider performance measures, and standardization of treatment guidelines. The Steptoe Group developed an information management capability, known as the Warrior-Centric Patient-Provider Interface System (PPIS) that tracks provider-patient interaction, treatment therapies, and prescriptions CONUS, OCONUS and in theatre. This information management capability will provide medical commanders a visual snapshot of how healthcare providers and patients are tracking throughout the mental and behavioral health continuum of care.
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CJ Jordan Sr VP Govt Relation - presenting at AUSA MEDCOM Convention |
Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) has seen the deployment of nearly 2 million US troops since October 2001. Evidence suggests and is supported by many, that the psychological toll of these deployments may far outweigh the physical injuries resulting from combat. Not since the study on Vietnam veterans has there been a comprehensive look at the role that culture plays in addressing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other “INVISIBLE WOUNDS OF WAR.” Trauma experienced by one service member, is frequently reflected to those closest and most important to them and the consequences can be profound. With PTSD being the number one mental health care problem among warriors and veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is a definite threat to the mental/behavioral health and fitness of the military family unit, and our nation’s armed forces.
Research related to existing conflicts indicates that higher rates of PTSD are found for service members of the Army and Marine Corps, and for service members who are not on active duty - i.e., National Guardsmen or Reservists. Enlisted personnel, females, Hispanics, older personnel, those with combat injuries and have multiple deployments all show increase risk of PTSD; the numbers and rate diagnosed continue to rise. Suicide and suicide attempts, along with rampant depression, is also increasing drastically among our returning warriors and veterans.
The Steptoe Group is currently working with Government and Private Organizations to increase the awareness on the growing and deleterious impact mental and behavioral health conditions are having on the Army and its sister services. The Steptoe Group was one of the initial corporate firms to register its unwavering support during the November 4th , 2009 launch of the Congressional Military Family Caucus. This new caucus will foster the interest of family members of the uniformed service members by educating its Members and staff on resources that the military provides as well as discussing the barriers that a military family faces. The Caucus goal is to address issues such as education, childcare, healthcare, spouse employment, and the effects of multiple deployments.
The Steptoe Group, LLC is committed to providing the most advanced training, information management, communications and research solutions to military and veteran medical communities that serve our nation’s warriors, warrior families, and veterans.