Digital Therapeutics for Management and Treatment in Behavioral Health

Course overview

Course Description: This course is based on material published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and is available as an open-access article. The last decade has seen immense changes in digital health, with the expanded use of computing platforms, electronic medical records, mobile applications, and wearable devices in health care. During the COVID-19 pandemic in particular, telehealth expanded access to care for millions of people and was a critical resource to meet the behavioral healthcare needs of individuals with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Another example of the use of technology to facilitate care is digital therapeutics (DTx). DTx are health software intended to treat or alleviate a disease, disorder, condition, or injury by generating and delivering a medical intervention that has a demonstrable positive therapeutic impact on a patients health. DTx may be used independently or in concert with medications, devices, or other therapies to optimize patient care and health outcomes. DTx may or may not require a prescription and are generally considered medical devices subject to regulatory oversight by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This course on digital strategies for behavioral health treatment is designed for clinical social workers, psychologists, professional counselors, nurses, and substance abuse counselors who do clinical work. This course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to develop their expertise with digital strategies for behavioral health treatment. The course material includes a literature review of interventions. It may also be useful for licensed clinicians who require continuing clinical education courses for license renewal. The course is based on a journal article that includes research. It contains statistical analysis and data that some clinicians enjoy reading and others do not. A significant benefit of reading peer reviewed research-based articles for continuing education is that they provide practitioners with the latest findings in their field. Authors: SAMHSA Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding digital strategies for behavioral health treatment. Specifically, a professional will: Recognize benefits of digital therapeutics. Describe research, regulatory, and reimbursement considerations for digital therapeutics. Identify considerations for selecting and implementing digital therapeutics in care delivery. Citation: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (July 2023). Digital Therapeutics for Management and Treatment in Behavioral Health. Center for Mental Health Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. https://store.samhsa.gov.