Telehealth Treatment For Serious Mental Illness and SU Disorders

Course overview

This course is based upon material published in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration store and is available as an open-access article. This resource guide outlines the treatments available via telehealth for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD.) The guide provides valuable information for individuals with these disorders, including best practices, gaps in knowledge and identifies strategies as well as challenges for implementation of treatment via telehealth. While it focuses primarily on individuals with SMI or SUD, it can easily be tailor to fit the needs of individuals with other needs. The guide explores the factors that may influence treatment and recovery including geography, socioeconomics, culture, gender, race, ethnicity, and age. The chapters within the guide uncover the issue overall, the research that has been completed related to it, guidance for implementing evidence-based practices, examples of telehealth implementation in treatment programs and finally resources for evaluation and quality improvement. Within the guide, many discussions are had that pertain to the use of telehealth, both synchronous and asynchronous. It reveals the ways that telehealth can make treatment for individuals with SMI or SUD more accessible and convenient, while improving health outcomes and reducing health disparities. This course on telehealth for the treatment of serious mental health and substance abuse disorders is designed for social workers, professional counselors, psychologists, nurses, and substance abuse counselors who do clinical work. In addition, this course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to apply telehealth for the treatment of serious mental health issues and substance abuse disorders. 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. Authors: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Learning Objectives: This course will provide the practitioner with detailed information regarding telehealth for the treatment of serious mental health and substance abuse disorders. Specifically, a professional will: Describe treatments available for individuals with serious mental illness SMI or substance abuse disorders (SUD) Summarize research pertaining to treatment and recovery for individuals with SMI or SUD, including best practices, knowledge gaps, and other related information Recognize factors that influence the ability to treat, including geography, socioeconomic, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, and age Identify challenges and strategies for implementation of treatment via telehealth Citation: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders. SAMHSA Publication No. PEP21-06-02-001 Rockville, MD: National Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Laboratory. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2021.