185756 Mental Health Services for Rural Veterans: An Assessment of Rural or Small Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Providing Timely Mental Health Services

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Kara Hawthorne, MSW , Office of Rural Health, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
Ryung Suh, MD MPH MPP MBA , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Jaspal Ahluwalia, MD, MPH , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Sarah Johnson , Department of Health Systems Administration, SNHS, Georgetown University, Washington, DC
Richard Hartman, PhD , Office of the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Policy and Planning, Veterans Health Administration, Washington, DC
The VA has a number of innovative programs to improve access to quality mental health services for rural veterans. The Mental Health Intensive Case Management - Rural Access Network Growth Enhancement (MHICM-RANGE), Care Coordination Home Telehealth (CCHT), the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Program are examples. Expansion of Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) to include mental health services has also been an important strategy. The VA's Office of Rural Health conducted a study of CBOCs defined as rural or small (<1500 unique veterans) to assess the degree to which they provided timely delivery of mental health services; this was defined as initial evaluation within 24 hours of veteran referral and full diagnostic and treatment planning evaluation for non-urgent cases within 14 days. This session reviews the findings from the assessment and explores the implications for future policies and programs designed to improve access to quality mental health services for rural veterans.

Learning Objectives:
Describe innovative programs utilized by the VA to provide mental health services for rural veterans Outline findings from an assessment of delivery times for mental health services within Community Based Outpatient Clinics defined as rural or small Explore implications of findings on future mental health care strategies for rural veterans

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I reviewed and participated in planning and research activities, to include a literature review, structured interviews, internal VA review, and environmental scan for the VA Office of Rural Health, as well as contributed to the Office of Rural Health strategic plan.
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.

See more of: Medical Care Section Poster Session: Urban Health & Rural/Frontier Health
See more of: Medical Care