Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders

Course overview

Many Americans are at risk for, experiencing, or recovering from serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorders (SUD). Unfortunately, barriers to care - such as access to appropriate providers, stigma associated with SMI and/or SUD, and competing priorities (e.g., career and family responsibilities) - can hinder or prevent these people from receiving treatment. Telehealth is one potential solution to this challenge. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders discusses telehealth's potential to improve accessibility of care and health outcomes. The purpose of this introductory-level learning material is to present social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists with the information needed to implement telehealth therapy into the treatment of SMI and SUD. This learning material discusses the need, benefits, and challenges of telehealth in the treatment of SMI and SUD among adults. It also reviews the effectiveness of care provided through telehealth. Other topics examined in this learning material include challenges and strategies for selecting and implementing telehealth-delivered practices, examples of telehealth treatment programs, and approaches to evaluating telehealth modalities. Upon completion of this course, providers will have the information needed to apply evidence-based strategies when screening, assessing, and treating SMI and SUD via telehealth modalities. Visit Ce4Less.com for more information about our unlimited plan.