Telehealth and Clinical Training Resources during COVID-19

Providers are rapidly shifting from in-person to telehealth visits in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The below resources from clinical, policy, and financial perspectives may be useful to assist operations and clinical staff in erecting a telehealth program. 

COVID-19 Resources
 

COVID-19 Telehealth: General 
 

• Telepsychiatry and COVID-19
  American Psychiatric Association (APA) 
  Overview of technical and HIPAA considerations when transitioning to telepsychiatry. 
• Responding to COVID-19: Telehealth
  Mental Health Technology Transfer Center Network (MHTTC)
  Links to recorded and upcoming webinars, as well as FAQ's, toolkits, and policy announcements related to administering telehealth. 
• Resources on COVID-19 and Serious Mental Illness
  SMI Adviser
  Trending questions, resources, and patient handouts for behavioral health providers serving individuals with SMI. Request a consultation from clinical experts. 
• Telehealth Coverage Policies in the Time of COVID-19
  Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP)
  Frequently updated list of ongoing changes to telehealth policies of public and private insurers. 
• COVID Guidance: Screening for Suicide Risk during Telehealth Visits
  National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
• Collaborative Care Fits COVID-19 Workflows 
  Psychiatric News
  Outlines five key principles of Collaborative Care and their application to care settings transitioning to telehealth. 
• Harnessing Collaborative Care to Meet Mental Health Demands in the Era of COVID-19
  JAMA Psychiatry
   

COVID-19 Telehealth: Medicare
 

• Telehealth Services
  Medicare Learning Network, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
  Booklet on Medicare telehealth service topics including originating sites, distant site practitioners, and billing & payment. 
• Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet
  CMS (March 17, 2020)
  Medicare coverage and payment of virtual services. 
• Medicare Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions
  CMS (March 17, 2020)

Clinical Training Resources
 

• Telehealth Tips for Behavioral Health Providers
  AIMS Center
  Includes preparation tips for behavioral health providers and patients, and guidance for conducting the visit. 
• Brief Behavioral Skills Training, MHTTC 
  Free didactic video modules (30-40 minutes each) for BH providers. 
  • Behavioral Activation
  • CBT for Anxiety
  • DBT Distress Tolerance Skills
• Modeling Anxiety and Distress Management Webinar
  UW Psychiatry & Addictions Case Conference (PACC) 
  Coping skills & steps providers and clinicians can take to manage anxiety and distress during complex emergencies. 

Telebehavioral Health Resources
 

• Telepsychiatry Toolkit
  American Psychiatric Association (APA) 
  Clinical, training, and policy considerations of telepsychiatry. 
• Best Practices in Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health 
  APA and American Telemedicine Association
  Consolidated guide on best practices in clinical videoconferencing in mental health. 
• Telemental Health Toolkit
  Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center (NRTRC)
  Series of video tutorials on optimization of and professional & clinical considerations for using telehealth videoconferencing. 
• National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers
  Links out to regional telehealth resource centers. Each provides technical assistance, program support, and education to current or potential telehealth providers in designated regions. 

Evidence Base for Telemedicine 
 

• Bashshur, R.L., Shannon, G.W., Bashshur, N., & Yellowlees, P.M. (2016, February). The Empirical Evidence for Telemedicine Interventions in Mental Disorders. 
• Langarizadeh, M., Tabatabaei, M.S., Tavakol, K., Naghipour, M., Rostami, A., & Moghbeli, F. (2017, December). Telemental Health Care, an Effective Alternative to Conventional Mental Care: A Systematic Review.