It’s been a busy news cycle in December with updates and announcements related to telehealth in Virginia and beyond, including legislative news that could impact accessibility to care, brand new virtual mental health services as part of a statewide initiative, and Governor Glenn Youngkin’s multi-million-dollar behavioral health plan. Read more in our last edition of In the News for 2022.
VTMHI Has Officially Launched
Earlier this month, the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative (VTMHI), a VTN initiative that aims to tackle mental health access challenges in the Commonwealth, began seeing patients through Fauquier Free Clinic! By next month, VTMHI will launch in five additional free clinics across the state including Bradley Free Clinic (Roanoke), Brock Hughes Medical Center (Wytheville), Charlottesville Free Clinic, Free Clinic of Franklin County, and Health Brigade (Richmond).
Read more about the launch of this program in recent news coverage in the Free Lance-Star, the Fauquier Times, and ABC 8 online at WRIC.com. And, watch VTN’s own Special Projects Director Robin Cummings speak about VTMHI on this NBC 29 segment!
The Commonwealth’s $230 Million Behavioral Health Plan
Gov. Youngkin recently announced a new Behavioral Health Transformation Plan at Henrico Doctors’ Hospital. The six-pillar plan called “Right Help, Right Now” aims to bolster Virginia’s struggling health care systems for providing aid to people undergoing crisis, according to the Virginia Mercury. During his remarks, Gov. Youngkin recognized the shortage of mental health professionals and rising demand for care in Virginia as a mental health crisis. He stated this plan is intended to provide access to timely, effective, and community-based care. Read the full proposed plan here.
US Representatives Push for Extension of Telehealth Flexibilities
Three US Representatives along with a bipartisan group of 30 Congress members sent a letter to the House requesting the extension of critical telehealth flexibilities for some high-deductible health plan members set to expire on December 31, 2022. Read more about these efforts in mHealth Intelligence.
Telehealth Improves Mental Health Engagement for Medicaid Patients
Data links telehealth availability to better mental health engagement in patients with Medicaid. The study compares the number of visit rates before versus after telehealth expansions among patients with mental health diagnoses treated at federally qualified health centers between 2019 and 2021. Pharmacy Times has more on the study published on JAMA Network Open here.
Telemental Health Solutions for Students
Some Denver area schools debuted teletherapy services for students in response to the rising demand for care. iPads, laptops, and sometimes private rooms are provided to students for use during appointments. The new virtual services aim to address the student mental health crisis in the region and a growing number of public schools across the country are following the same path. Read more about these efforts in The Washington Post.
Thank you for tuning in to VTN’s monthly news recap and blog this year. Our team looks forward to curating more happenings in telehealth in the Commonwealth and telling the stories of Virginia’s providers in our Equity & Telehealth blog. To stay up to date with the latest from VTN, be sure to sign up for monthly eblasts in the form on this