Thank you for registering to join the HiTOP Clinical Network and welcome!

The following message is from Stephanie Sweatt, Ph.D., the Director of the Network:

Our group is a voluntary, informal association meant to promote activities and discussions about an alternative approach to classifying mental illness. Systems like DSM-5 and ICD-10 are by far the most popular (and often administratively necessary) ways of cataloging problems related to mental health, but they have their drawbacks. HiTOP takes a different approach. It recognizes that symptoms of mental illness are often dimensional with respect to their severity, with no strict boundaries. It also recognizes that symptoms often have shared aspects. This allows one to conceptualize mental illness as part of a larger hierarchy. At the top are aspects common to all mental health problems. At the bottom are more specific symptoms and problems.

The HiTOP Clinical Network is the vanguard for trying to understand how this alternative can best be integrated into practice. Since we are a grassroots, voluntary group, we ask for patience as we build this network and its activities.

Over the coming weeks and months, you will be added to our listserv and we will reach out to you with semi-quarterly updates about HiTOP and its efforts. We will let you know about training opportunities and the latest research related to this effort. We also may send surveys to get your input or to understand activities you want to help organize, or about research questions someone may be tackling. I want to assure you, however, that none of this will flood your inbox.

In the meantime, to find out more you can read about our clinical tools and efforts, including a new training workshop.

Until my next update, I wish you well and thank you for your interest!

Best,

Stephanie