Rural telepsychology services for children and adolescents

Abstract

Because of the overwhelming maldistribution of mental health specialists in metropolitan areas and the many underserved families living in rural settings, rural areas are natural homes for the use of telemedicine or videoconferencing technology for clinical services. The authors describe telepsychology services for rural clients, placing best psychology practices within the context of broader telemental health services. The goal is to approximate evidence-based child psychotherapy from face-to-face practice using the videoconferencing technology. Telepsychology is illustrated with a case report of a rural Hispanic teen and her family presenting through the teen's primary care clinic.