Meeting veterans where they're @: a VA Home-Based Telemental Health (HBTMH) pilot program

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Services
• Telehealth Technology
• Rural Health Access

Background:

• The Department of Veterans Affairs' first Home-Based Telemental Health (HBTMH) pilot program was established to address access barriers for rural veterans.
• While clinic-based telemental healthcare is documented, its feasibility in non-clinic settings like veterans' homes remained unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and safety of delivering mental health services to rural veterans in their homes via webcam and computer.
• To assess veteran satisfaction and perceived safety with the HBTMH program.

Main Methods:

• The HBTMH program utilized secure, encrypted software and veteran-owned computers for remote service delivery.
• A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Manual, the Assessment for Suitability for Home Based Telemental Health (ASH-25), a Patient Support Person (PSP), and a peer technical consultant were implemented.
• Satisfaction and safety surveys were administered to the initial 40 enrolled veterans.

Main Results:

• Survey results confirmed the feasibility and safety of using home-based telemental health technology.
• Veterans reported high satisfaction and perceived safety with the HBTMH services.
• The program indicated a potential decrease in no-show appointments compared to clinic-based care.

Conclusions:

• The HBTMH pilot program demonstrated success in providing accessible mental healthcare to rural veterans.
• Further research is warranted to explore the program's strengths, limitations, and future potential.
• Home-based telemental health shows promise for improving mental healthcare delivery in underserved veteran populations.