Needs proper APA, polishing and tighter formatting.
Memorandum
To: Dr. Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Assistant Secretary for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
From: Your Name
Date:
Subject: Expanding Telehealth Services for Mental Health
Mental health issues have become a significant public health concern that was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, it is important to consider policy changes by expanding telehealth mental health services to improve access to care, reduce pressure on emergency rooms, and reduce disparity in care, especially in rural areas.
According to research, telehealth services have been increasingly acknowledged as acceptable and usable for delivering mental health interventions. Based on the findings, 71% of the patients had positive experiences with mental health services, making it important to close the gap in access to mental health care. Nevertheless, many individuals who have poor access to mental health care, especially in rural settings, are still unable to access mental health services provided, limited by infrastructural barriers and low technological literacy.
Recommendations
Enhancing Digital Literacy
Digital literacy promotion should also be integrated into telehealth service delivery to optimize its benefits. Using training material, workshops, and easily understandable information available through community centers will improve the experience of both patients and care providers in utilizing telehealth technologies.
Increased Federal Funding
Enhancing federal funding for telehealth infrastructure is crucial in improving internet connections and advancing technological support in rural regions. The federal government should allocate funding for programs providing audio-only telehealth equipment to rural regions, allowing those who do not have broadband or video technology to access adequate mental health care. This would help bridge digital divisions and ensure that more people get the right mental health issues addressed.
Implement National Telehealth Guidelines
National telehealth guidelines should also be implemented to promote consistent mental health services care. These principles will contribute to forming a telehealth guide that will standardize the delivery of services across the board. In this way, the outlined conditions for applying high-quality interventions will enable patients to receive safer and more effective treatments while minimizing inequalities in access and quality of care delivery.
Integration of these policy changes to provide telehealth services and expanding telehealth services will guarantee continuity of mental care to vulnerable populations and better mental health for all people.
References
Abuyadek, R. M., Hammouda, E. A., Elrewany, E., Elmalawany, D. H., Ashmawy, R., Zeina, S., … & Ghazy, R. M. (2024). Acceptability of Tele-mental Health Services Among Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. BMC Public Health, 24(1), 1143.
Campanozzi, L. L., Gibelli, F., Bailo, P., Nittari, G., Sirignano, A., & Ricci, G. (2023). The role of digital literacy in achieving health equity in the third millennium society: A literature review. Frontiers in Public Health, 11, 1109323. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1109323
Kruis, R., Brown, E. A., Johnson, J., Simpson, K. N., McElligott, J., & Harvey, J. (2024). Patient Perceptions of Audio-Only Versus Video Telehealth Visits: A Qualitative Study Among Patients in an Academic Medical Center Setting. Telemedicine Reports, 5(1), 89-98.