Telepsychiatry: A New Treatment Venue for Pediatric Depression

The benefits and acceptability of using telepsychiatry to provide psychiatric treatment to youth in their homes, schools, primary care provider offices, juvenile correction centers, and residential facilities are well established. Telepsychiatry removes geographic barriers between patients and providers and improves the access to and ease of receiving quality care. Effective telepsychiatrists use strategic room staging, enhanced nonverbal communication, and technical experience to ensure sessions provide an authentic treatment experience and strong provider-patient alliances are forged. When the telepsychiatry venue is used properly, sessions feel authentic and pediatric treatment outcomes meet and sometimes exceed those of sessions conducted in traditional venues.