181774 Utilizing technology to improve rural residents' access to mental health services

Monday, October 27, 2008: 1:30 PM

Timothy R. Elliott, PhD, ABPP , Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Laura M. Windwehen, MPH , Center for Community Health Development, School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
Monica L. Wendel, DrPH, MA , Center for Community Health Development, School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
Angela Alaniz, BA , Center for Community Health Development, School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
James N. Burdine, DrPH , Center for Community Health Development, School of Rural Public Health, College Station, TX
The disparities in access to health care services for residents of rural areas are well-documented. Many rural areas are primary care health professional shortage areas, and most are mental health professional shortage areas. Because accessing mental health services for a rural resident typically means taking a considerable amount of time from work and traveling a substantial distance to a provider's office, it is understandable why residents delay or forego seeking care for themselves and their families. In Leon County, Texas, the community identified access to mental health services as a priority through a local planning process. Through their collaboration with the Center for Community Health Development at the School of Rural Public Health, they connected with the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University, which operates a doctoral training program in counseling psychology. Funded by a Rural Health Network Development grant through the Office of Rural Health Policy at the Health Resources and Services Administration, the County began working with the University and a local hospital system to develop mental health services to be offered through an existing telehealth network. One primary factor in the success of this program was the clear benefit to everyone who participated. The County receives access to new services; the other service providers now have a point of referral; the community is able to get appropriate care; and the University is able to provide students with unique hands-on training both in counseling and in use of technology for service delivery.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, participants should be able to: Discuss a variety of strategies for improving access to care for rural populations; Recognize teh opportunity technology presents for improving access to care in rural areas; Apply capacity-building principles to assessment of community-based public health strategies

Keywords: Mental Health, Telehealth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was the principal faculty from the mental health service perspective involved in developing our service network.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.