In September 2021, Chief Vision Officer Robert Feeney and Chief Revenue Officer Kathy Hughes announced the onboarding of a new customer who will use Ringorang in the application the technology was born for: mental health support, specifically in OUD treatment.  

Community Medical Services (CMS) provides opioid treatment services to individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). CMS offers medication-assisted treatment (MAT) used in combination with behavioral health services. Originally founded in Arizona, CMS provides treatment at more than 45 clinics in Montana, North Dakota, Alaska, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. They strive to eliminate the consequences of substance use and help patients navigate the continuum of care without discrimination and stigma.

Now, they’re adding Ringorang’s behavior-change methodology and SaaS solution to their services, providing patients with day-to-day support in their recovery journey.  

“We believe that by providing as many different recovery resources as possible, we can help our patients stay engaged in their treatment and work towards their unique goals,” said Christina Boudreau, MPH, Grant and New Program Analyst at CMS. “With Ringorang being so focused on taking information and turning it into action, our intention in using it is for our patients to feel further empowered and gain confidence in their recovery.”  

Mental health is an especially important area for Feeney, who experienced firsthand the impact of negative behaviors caused by mental health issues when both his brothers took their own lives within a few years of each other.

“This is what Ringorang was built for,” he said. “Human impact. Changing things (for people) that have been unchangeable for so long.”  

Opioid use is such a prevalent issue for society today that the U.S. government is funding organizations like CMS to allow them to bring on digital applications for supporting patients in treatment.

“We wanted to find an app that would be engaging to our patients and to provide relevant, actionable information to support their recovery journey,” Boudreau said.

Ringorang fulfills CMS’ needs. The app allows patients to interact with their treatment digitally in their day-to-day lives through custom programs designed to reinforce healthy habits and positive behaviors surrounding their care.  

For Feeney and the entire Ringorang team, it’s an honor to work with CMS and help “send people home to their families.”