Program Development

Telebehavioral Health Center of Excellence  This website provides up-to-date resources to implement or update a telemental health service program. 

How to Get Started in Telebehavioral Health This webpage developed by the Telebehavioral Health Center of Excellence provides a brief overview of key aspects to starting a telemental health program. 

Insight: Starting A Program This webpage provides resources and guides for developing a telepsychiatry program. 

Getting Started in Telehealth This webpage developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics is a guide to developing an effective telehealth program. Included is an example start-up checklist that program developers can follow or adjust to ensure their program has the essentials for starting a telehealth program. 

Guidelines for Establishing a Telemental Health Program to Provide Evidence-Based Therapy for Trauma-Exposed Children and Families (Jones et al., 2014) This article reviews the set-up, use and utility of a telemental health program in an existing clinic that is using trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy. The guidelines that are addressed include: 1. Establishing and utilizing community partnerships 2. Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) 3. Equipment setup and technological resources 4. Video Conferencing software 5. Physical setup 6. Clinic administration 7. Service reimbursement and start-up costs 8. Therapy delivery modifications and 9. Delivering culturally competent services to rural and remote areas.

The CTRC Telehealth Program Developer Kit: A Roadmap for Successful Telehealth Program Development PDF This kit provides a step-by-step depiction of developing a telehealth program in all types of service settings and sizes. Resource materials and best practices are offered to customize the program development process. 

Telebehavioral Health: Clinical Applications, Benefits, Technology Needs, and Setup (Saeed, 2015) This article reviews the clinical benefits and applications of telebehavioral health as well as how to set up a TBH service, the technology involved in usage and reimbursement overviews.

Guidelines for Planning, Implementing, and Sustaining Telemental Health Programs  This webinar, presented by Jonathan Neufeld, PhD, discusses his experience with developing telemental health programs and how to avoid the biggest issues programs are facing with technology, while creating value and buy-in from clients and service providers. 

4 Steps for Rolling Out a Successful Telepsychiatry Program PDF This white paper by Regroup walks through key elements to assess while developing or thinking about developing a telepsychiatry program. Topics include designing the program, hiring appropriate clinicians, choosing/upgrading your systems technology, and ongoing training/support. 

National TRC Webinar: Mapping and Designing Telehealth Clinic Workflows This webinar will give an overview of workflows and demonstrate how to develop workflows for telehealth programs. 

Examples of Behavioral and Mental Health Telehealth Programs These examples were taken from the Rural Health Information Hub Toolkit to provide those looking into starting or updating a telemental health program with options. 

Telemental Health Training, Team Building, and Workforce Development in Cultural Context: The Hawaii Experience ( Alicata et al., 2016) This article describes a telemental health program in Hawaii that serves children and families. They use a unique and culturally aware process for providing mental health services to rural communities. Those looking to develop a culturally sensitive TMH program can use this resource as a building block. 

Pathways Mental Health Services: Telemedicine This webpage describes a telemental health program provided by Pathways, an integrated behavioral health clinic serving Washington, Hawaii and Utah. This program utilizes the direct to consumer service, but mainly requires clients to go to a Pathways clinic or affiliated site. Those looking to develop a TMH program can use this model as a jumping point for their location service needs.