Iowa Department of Human Services Selects Netsmart Technologies for $2.5 Million Statewide Software Implementation

Iowa Joins More Than 30 Other States Using Netsmart Enterprise Solutions 


GREAT RIVER, N.Y., Nov. 22  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Netsmart Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTST), a leading provider of enterprise-wide software for health and human services organizations, announced today that it has signed a contract with the State of Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) totaling nearly $2.5 million over a six-year period to provide an integrated behavioral health information system for six DHS facilities.

Netsmart's CCHIT Certified(SM) Avatar 2006 software will replace the census, billing, clinical, scheduling and reporting modules of a State of Iowa DHS legacy software system.  Avatar is an integrated, best-of-breed behavioral software solution.  The Iowa implementation of Avatar includes HL7 integration to the MediSolution Ltd. laboratory system and MediWare WORx(TM) medication management system at the state's two state resource centers and four state mental health facilities.  The use of the Avatar's order entry module in conjunction with the MediSolution and MediWare systems is designed to enhance the efficiency of clinical processes, including streamlining the reporting of lab results and minimizing the possibility of prescription errors.

The contract also includes professional services for project management, implementation services, data conversion, training and access to extensive clinical information from the Wiley Treatment Planning Libraries via Avatar Clinician Workstation (CWS).

In addition, the Iowa DHS has purchased 1,000 user accounts for Netsmart University, Netsmart's comprehensive suite of training and education services, with access to several thousand online courses that provide behavioral healthcare continuing education units (CEUs).

"We are pleased that the Iowa Department of Human Services has chosen us to provide them with a statewide behavioral health enterprise software system," said James Gargiulo, executive vice president, Clients and Solutions, Netsmart Technologies.  "We look forward to adding Iowa as our 34th state-operated services customer and to helping them further their goal of delivering the highest quality of services to their citizens."

For information about Netsmart's full range of solutions for public health and human services, visit http://www.ntst.com/ or call 1.800.421.7503.

About Netsmart Technologies, Inc.

Netsmart Technologies, Inc., based in Great River, N.Y., is an established, leading supplier of enterprise-wide software solutions for health and human services providers, with more than 1,300 clients, including more than 30 systems with state agencies.  Netsmart's clients include health and human services organizations, public health agencies, mental health and substance abuse clinics, psychiatric hospitals, and managed care organizations.  More than 120 public health organizations and 10 state health departments use Netsmart to further their mission of providing citizens with high quality public health care and services.  Netsmart's products are full- featured information systems that operate on a variety of operating systems, hardware platforms, and mobile devices, and offer unlimited scalability.

Statement on Behalf of Netsmart Technologies, Inc.

Statements in this press release may be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend" and similar expressions, as they relate to the company or its management, identify forward-looking statements.  These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management.  These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict.  Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and probably will, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including those described above and those risks discussed from time to time in Netsmart's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  In addition, such statements could be affected by risks and uncertainties related to product demand, market and customer acceptance, competition, pricing and development difficulties, as well as general industry and market conditions and growth rates, and general economic conditions.  Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release.  Information on Netsmart's website does not constitute a part of this release.

-- WORx is a trademark of MediWare Information Systems, Inc.

-- Avatar 2006 Version 02 is a CCHIT Certified(SM) product for CCHIT Ambulatory EHR 2006.  CCHIT is a Recognized Certification Body in the United States for certifying health information technology products -- an independent, not-profit organization that sets the benchmark for electronic health records.  The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded CCHIT a three-year contract in September 2005 to develop and evaluate certification criteria and an inspection process for ambulatory (office and clinic) EHRs, inpatient (hospital) EHRs and the networks through which they interoperate. 

DATASOURCE: Netsmart Technologies, Inc.



CONTACT:  Dave Kishler of Netsmart Technologies, [phone], or





Web site:  http://www.ntst.com/ 

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