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About Us

The FirstMatch Story

Welcome to FirstMatch, where cutting-edge meets heart. FirstMatch is a spin-off of Adelphoi, a non-profit that has been a beacon of hope for at-risk youth and families in Pennsylvania for over five decades, pioneering solutions that genuinely make a difference.
The seed for FirstMatch was planted within the rich soil of Adelphoi’s desire to transform data into destiny.
We embarked on a journey, armed with data from our admission processes, with one goal in mind: to significantly enhance outcomes for youths in our care. Collaborating with top-notch researchers, we sifted through hundreds of case studies, pinpointing the clinical services that not only ensured program success but also empowered youth to thrive beyond our care.

Our quest led to the discovery of six key indicators, forming the backbone of our fidelity model and reshaping our clinical approach.

Our researchers unearthed early predictors of success (EPS) – the golden keys to unlocking positive futures for these youth, culminating in the creation of FirstMatch. This predictive analytics powerhouse was engineered to navigate the complex web of data for youth who need interventions, whether residential, in-home, mental health, and behavioral health services.

Realizing the potential of our findings to revolutionize treatment decisions on a wider scale, Adelphoi evolved FirstMatch into a versatile, multi-tier platform. Now, it’s not just a tool for us, but a comprehensive solution for providers, counties, and state organizations nationwide. FirstMatch goes beyond matching; it’s about predicting success, seamlessly tracking admissions, managing outcomes, and facilitating the journey towards a brighter future for every child.

Management Team

Meet the stellar team at FirstMatch, where dedication meets innovation:
Mark Mortimer
Chief Operating Officer
Mark has a rich history with Adelphoi, starting as a counselor and ascending to leadership. His transformative leadership was recognized when he led Adelphoi’s Middle Creek Secure Group Home to win the prestigious Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission Program of the Year award. Mark is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA.
Dana Maldet
Chief Financial Officer
Dana brings over two decades of expertise in finance and accounting to the table. Previously Payroll and Accounts Supervisor at Conemaugh, as well as Director of Revenue at Adelphoi, she is pivotal in steering our financial strategy. Dana earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and an MBA from Saint Francis University, and is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Karyn Pratt
Vice President of Marketing & Strategy Development
Karyn’s journey from community relations to leading marketing and strategic development at Adelphoi illustrates her deep commitment to our mission. Her innovative strategies are expanding FirstMatch’s impact. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from Saint Vincent College, an MBA from Clarion University, and a certification in strategic planning from George Washington University.
Todd Watkins
Chief Information Officer
Todd is the tech guru keeping FirstMatch at the cutting edge. With experience ranging from Rivers Casino to Viejas Enterprises, Todd’s IT leadership ensures our systems are robust and forward-thinking. Todd earned a bachelor’s degree from the Pennsylvania State University.
Morgan Berry

Implementation Coordinator

Morgan’s progression from direct service roles to leading FirstMatch implementations reflects her strong dedication to improving outcomes for at-risk youth. Her hands-on experience and data-informed approach help agencies place youth where they are most likely to thrive. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and brings more than a decade of experience in child welfare and behavioral health.

Stacey Wellman

Implementation Specialist

Stacey brings nearly 20 years of juvenile justice experience to her role as an Implementation Specialist with FirstMatch®. Her background as a juvenile probation officer and service provider informs the hands-on guidance she offers to agencies throughout the implementation process. She holds certifications in SPEP™, YLS, EPICS, MI, trauma-informed justice, and ART®, among others. Stacey earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Lock Haven University and a master’s degree in administration of justice from Shippensburg University, where she received the Anthony F. Ceddia Award for academic excellence.

Susan Christner

Project Director

Susan brings 30 years of experience in juvenile justice, leadership, and system improvement initiatives across Pennsylvania. Before joining FirstMatch, she spent three decades with Lebanon County Probation Services, most recently as Deputy Director of the Juvenile Unit, where her work included program development, evidence-based practices, policy implementation, interagency collaboration, and statewide initiatives. Christner holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Lebanon Valley College and a master’s degree in administration of justice from Shippensburg University. She has contributed to numerous statewide committees and advisory groups, taught at Lebanon Valley College and Alvernia University, and was named the 2015 Pennsylvania Association on Probation, Parole and Corrections Juvenile Justice Professional of the Year.

FAQs

What is FirstMatch?
FirstMatch is a state-of-the-art software that uses predictive analytics to help decision makers select the right treatment program for a child, increasing likelihood of success.
Why was FirstMatch developed?
FirstMatch was developed as a better way to recommend a treatment for a child in the child welfare, juvenile justice or behavioral health systems. By using data to make treatment decisions, youth spend less time cycling in an out of programs and more time with their families, leading to reduced trauma, and better outcomes.
How are youth currently matched with programs without using FirstMatch?
Right now, youth are matched with a treatment program based upon a combination of factors such as cost, space in the program, proximity to home, past experiences, relationships with referral source, macro level outcomes, contract status, and anecdotal information.
How are youth matched with programs when using FirstMatch?
When a child’s clinical information is entered into FirstMatch, the tool uses an organization’s historical outcomes, and a child’s clinical assessment information, to recommend the best program for that particular child. Referral services and service providers use the data to make an informed choice.
Why does the juvenile justice system need a resource like FirstMatch?

Currently, 66% of youth in out-of-home placement have already been in one or more placements and 44% have been in two or more previous placements. It’s not uncommon for youth to be in 10 or more prior out-of-home placements, with the average being 4.4. In addition, 88% of these youth have been in one or more previous in-home programs.

This problem is not unique to youth in out-of-home placements. Right now, 64% of youth in in-home programs have been enrolled in at least on other in-home program.

What is machine learning?
Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence that allows software applications to become more accurate at predicting outcomes without being explicitly programmed to do so. Machine learning algorithms use historical data as input to predict new output values.
How does FirstMatch integrate machine learning?
FirstMatch uses machine learning to compare specific predictive factors of a youth referral to the historical outcomes achieved by unique programs for other youth that presented with the same or similar predictive factors (and combinations of these various factors). The program then uses this data to recommend the most appropriate treatment program for the youth.
How is the tool trained?
The tool increases its effectiveness by using an agency’s unique outputs and results to continuously learn what to look for in terms of patterns and trends that are undetectable by human analysis.
What types of predictions does FirstMatch make?
Once a youth’s data is entered into FirstMatch, the tool makes a program recommendation for the child. FirstMatch also produces a report that reveals the likelihood that a youth will achieve the desired outcome within a particular program, including recidivism, re-entry, remain-out-of-care and program completion rates, among others.
What are some of the results you’ve seen so far?
FirstMatch leads to improved outcomes for systems, organizations, and youth. So far, we have seen a decrease in negative incidents, higher program completion rates, and cost savings from youth being placed in fewer programs.
Tell me about the dashboard feature of the FirstMatch platform.
FirstMatch dashboards allow you to visually display, track, measure, and analyze critical data in order to monitor and improve performance. The customizable displays are designed to inform decision-making.
What are some of the benefits for organizations implementing FirstMatch?
FirstMatch offers many benefits to organizations. Agencies can have confidence that by using data to drive decisions, they are accepting the right youth into their programs. When kids are in the right program for them, programs have less negative incidents associated with inappropriate placements, reduced staff turnover, and better outcomes for kids and families. The FirstMatch tool also provides a dashboard that allows for real-time outcomes review, evaluation and management.
What are some of the benefits to the child and their family?
Matching a youth to program based upon data means youth receive the help they need from one right program, rather than cycling through four or five wrong ones. Less cycling means less trauma, better outcomes, and more success for kids.
What are the implications of FirstMatch for the child welfare and juvenile justice systems?
By using FirstMatch, systems can make a more informed decision for a child’s treatment, significantly increasing the chance of a successful outcome. This tool also provides another layer of quality assurance within agencies by helping to identify any changes in programming that may lead to a decrease in desired outcomes. FirstMatch also offers transparency with placing agencies in the acceptance and rejection of youth.
Is FirstMatch HIPAA compliant? How is the data protected?
FirstMatch is HIPAA compliant and the data is considered to be Protected Health Information (PHI). Organizations control access to their data through a cloud based server that they own.
How can I learn more about FirstMatch?
You can contact us by calling 724-804-7021 or emailing david.hirsh@firstmatch.org. We’ll be happy to provide a demo upon request.