Set-Up Guides and Toolkits

Telemental Health Video Tool Kit These video series presented by Jonathan Neufeld, PhD, Clinical Director at UMTRC is aimed at providing advice for providers who are using or plan on using videoconferencing in their telemental health services. The first 6 videos are specific to video conferencing technology. A webinar by the presenter is also linked explaining how to use the tool kit. 

National Telehealth Technology Center  This website is aimed at general telehealth technology; there is a section under videoconferencing for set-up/video equipment and products to get guides for video equipment set-up. 

Telehealth Buyer’s Guide This guide developed by the Telebehavioral Health Institute provides a list of reviewed products and services that can be useful in setting-up or progressing providers telehealth services. 

MATRC Vendor Selection Toolkit  This toolkit developed by the Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center is designed to help providers looking to start or continue their use of telehealth services and pick the best technologies for their program. 

Adoption of Technology-Enhance Treatments: Conceptual and Practical Considerations (Anton & Jones, 2017) As the efficacy of technology-enhanced mental health service delivery models (i.e., supportive or adjunctive technological tools) are examined, we must inform and guide clinician decision-making regarding acceptance and, in turn, uptake. Accordingly, this review aims to move beyond traditional discussions of geographic barriers by integrating, reconciling, and extending literatures on dissemination and implementation, as well as technology uptake, in order to anticipate and address organizational and clinician barriers to adoption of technology-enhancements. Specifically, a five-stage model is proposed to address organizational readiness for and clinician acceptance of technology-enhancements to evidence-based treatments, as well as the relevance of current adoption strategies for technology-enhanced services. Our aim is to provide a guiding framework for future research and practice.

6 Fundamentals for Setting Up Your Video-Based Office  This course provided by the Telebehavioral Health Institute provides trainees with guides to choosing the right technology for telemental health services, as well as ways to anticipate issues and how to teach clients about the technology being used.

Technological Considerations for the Delivery of Real-Time Child Telemental Healthcare (Chou et al., 2016) Objective: In recent years, rapid advances in the sophistication and accessibility of new technologies for consumer use have been leveraged to meaningfully expand the scope of mental health services for youth. However, despite many potential benefits inherent in applying new technologies to improve the accessibility and quality of care, organizations and private providers looking to expand their services with telemental health (TMH) service options may find the broad range of software packages and hardware options daunting. Methods: We summarize key considerations for adopting a videoteleconferencing (VTC) system, and provide recommendations for institutions and providers planning to launch TMH services at varying levels. Results:Although there is currently no single combination of VTC software and equipment that works best for every provider, certain factors such as cost, ease of use, and system functionality contribute to the setup that may serve as the “best fit” for practitioners’ and clients’ needs. Conclusions: Careful consideration of these system characteristics and their bearing on institutional functioning, quality of services, and client satisfaction and privacy prior to VTC installation can proactively reduce difficulties after TMH implementation.

WEBINAR: The Challenges of Tele-Mental Health: Technology & Licensure Josh Kohrumel (RCHSD) and Jonathan Neufeld (Great Plains Telehealth Resource and Assistance Center) Discuss practical considerations of implementing tele-mental health, including technology (hardware, software, bandwidth, HIPAA), and licensure issues surrounding practicing across state lines.