A Practitioner's Guide to Telemental Health

Book excerpt: As telecommunication technologies and health apps become more ubiquitous and affordable, they expand opportunities for behavioural and mental health professionals to provide quality care. Telemental health now encompasses the full range of services, including assessment, treatment delivery, psychoeducation, supervision, and consultation. Many of the skills needed for competent telepractice are the same as in conventional in-office care. However, physical distance as well as technology itself can create challenges to safe and ethical practice. For instance, when conducting suicide assessment and intervention via videoconferencing, the clinician must be prepared to involve emergency or support services at the patient's location, while providing all the usual treatment documentation and follow-up. Such challenges are manageable when following the best practices outlined in this book.