Strategies for implementation of virtual home visitation in the United States.

Utilising telepractice videoconferencing technology to offer home visitation services has the potential to provide access and parenting support through a high-tech and high-touch service delivery option. Families can receive evidence-based, family support intervention from their home via videoconferencing technology, removing the need for the provider to be physically in the home. While the expansion of telehealth and telepractice services for families is essential for meeting the needs of both parents and their children, well-documented engagement barriers to digital health/computer-mediated interventions exist across treatment modalities and technology platforms. Semi-structured interviews with 15 providers were conducted and analysed to identify engagement strategies utilised to sustain families in a home visitation model offered through live videoconferencing technology on a telehealth platform. Analysis revealed four themes that were deemed essential for successfully attracting and maintaining families in a telepractice-based home visitation programme: (a) engagement strategies to encourage families to participate; (b) clinical skills used within sessions; (c) articulation of benefits to the family; and (d) exploration of rationale for ending services. This study was able to identify strategies for engagement and sustained involvement of families in telehealth-based home visitation. Findings include evidence that providers should be able to move between telehealth and on-ground service provision with relative ease.

Telehealth Training and Provider Experience of Delivering Behavioral Health Services.

The exclusion of telehealth training and education in behavioral health degree programs contributes to the challenges in telehealth delivery. This qualitative study was designed to assess the impact of telehealth training during a behavioral health degree program on perceptions of providing telehealth services. Fifteen interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. A narrative inquiry approach was employed, allowing for the participants to use narrative story to describe and discuss experiences. Analysis revealed three themes: (1) facilitators for delivering telehealth services; (2) challenges encountered when delivering telehealth service; and (3) overall satisfaction with delivering telehealth services. Key facilitators for delivering telehealth services include training, intervention curriculum, and ongoing telehealth supervision. Barriers to telehealth service delivery included issues of telehealth operations and technology. Making telehealth training widely accessible, as opposed to a continuing education option, is essential to promoting the utilization of the treatment modality.