A state Government’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) sought a better way to support individuals transitioning out of state-run psychiatric hospitals. In collaboration with regional Community Services Boards (CSBs), the department needed a digital tool to improve how care teams coordinated discharge assistance and housing placement for individuals in recovery.
The existing processes, shaped over time by legacy systems and layered governance, were difficult to scale. There was no centralized platform to manage critical discharge data, track referrals, or streamline communication between state agencies and community partners. The opportunity was clear: build a modern, secure application to improve outcomes, increase visibility, and make the path to independence more efficient for vulnerable state residents. This application would also help institutions process patients more efficiently, freeing up capacity to treat more individuals in need.
Tential was selected to design and deliver the state’s new Discharge Assistance Program (DAP) application—the first fully cloud-native, modern technology build undertaken by the department. More than just a development effort, this was a flagship initiative in the state’s broader digital transformation.
The project leveraged cutting-edge technologies to ensure a robust and scalable solution. The application was built using React for the front-end, NodeJS for the back-end, and hosted on AWS to provide a secure and scalable cloud environment.
This project marked the department’s first agile development effort—requiring a new approach not just in technology, but in process and culture. Tential partnered closely with internal teams to support this shift, working hand-in-hand to build comfort with new tools and methods.
Our delivery lead collaborated directly with the department’s PMO to help stand up agile practices, offer coaching, and ensure alignment across all partners. Through this collaborative effort, the team laid a strong foundation for agile success while maintaining a focus on long-term sustainability within the state’s operating model.
Tential assembled a cross-functional team including full-stack developers, a UI engineer, a QA tester, DevOps resources, and a technical writer. The team managed end-to-end delivery, including documentation and training support, to ensure a smooth rollout for government and community stakeholders.
As the project matured, it became clear that first-time initiatives—combined with existing legacy systems and governance structures—created a complex delivery landscape. Tential quickly adapted, restructuring technical leadership and embedding experienced delivery leads to help guide coordination across DBHDS, internal development teams, and the state’s central IT office. These strong relationships helped foster alignment, accelerate decisions, and maintain momentum in a regulated environment.
This was the first time the department undertook a cloud-native application build. Tential worked collaboratively with the state’s architecture and compliance teams to define a secure path forward—one that balanced innovation with policy requirements. Our team coordinated closely with external vendors and IT contractors to ensure the platform was deployed in approved, secure environments that could scale with future needs.
The project already stands out for its innovation, execution and potential for community impact:
By delivering the first cloud-native, agile-built application for a state’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Tential demonstrated not only its technical capability but its strength as a strategic partner. From navigating legacy systems and public-sector compliance to aligning diverse teams across agencies, we provided the structure, flexibility, and guidance needed to make meaningful progress.
The DAP application marks a milestone for the state—a secure, scalable platform that will streamline transitions from state-run psychiatric hospitals and improve access to care across the state's behavioral health system. It also sets a new precedent for how the state can approach digital transformation—empowering community-based services through modern technology and cross-agency collaboration.
This project reflects Tential’s continued commitment to meeting clients where they are and guiding mission-critical initiatives with clarity, flexibility and purpose.
When presented with a groundbreaking state initiative involving legacy systems and multi-agency coordination, Tential saw an opportunity to partner for meaningful change. Together with government leaders, we built a modern application that brought clarity, alignment, and a strong foundation for ongoing innovation across public services.