Community Health Plan of Washington Leaders Co-Author Journal of Rural Health’s 2018 Article of Year

Community
Health Plan of Washington (CHPW) announced today that the Journal
of Rural Health (JRH) recognized an article developed by two
co-authors from CHPW – Stephanie Shushan and Erin Hafer – as the 2018
Article of the Year. The article outlines how Telemental Health
(TMH) services can offer practical solutions for reducing common
healthcare barriers in rural communities.

“This reflects important work to address the need for mental health
services in rural communities through innovative solutions, and I’m
thrilled that the Journal of Rural Health recognized this work as the
subject of the 2018 Article of the Year,” said Leanne Berge, CEO of
Community Health Plan of Washington. “CHPW and our Community Health
Center providers have focused on integrating behavioral health services
within the primary care practice for many years through innovative
solutions that leverage the resources available at the community level.
We’re excited to collaborate with our academic partners as well to
create better outcomes through an integrated, whole-person approach.”

The article – Developing
Telemental Health Partnerships Between State Medical Schools and
Federally Qualified Health Centers: Navigating the Regulatory Landscape
and Policy Recommendations – was informed by the authors’ experience
launching the Study
to Promote Innovation in Rural Integrated Telepsychiatry (SPIRIT)
trial. This research identified approaches to help primary care
providers treat patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and
bipolar disorder through a collaborative care model or direct-to-patient
telemedicine. Drawing on the authors’ collective experience launching
TMH partnerships, the study makes recommendations to state medical
schools and qualified health centers about how to overcome existing
barriers. It also suggests policy changes that would mitigate the impact
of these barriers.

“Both the editor and editorial board of the Journal of Rural Health see
this article as addressing an important issue and offering practical and
actionable recommendations for improving access to telemental health
services,” says Carrie Henning-Smith, Editorial Board chair at the
Journal of Rural Health. “This article can make a positive
difference in the effort to address widespread barriers to mental health
care in rural areas. We applaud the authors for their work and are
pleased to disseminate this work through the Journal.”

This study aims to help rural communities gain more equitable access to
mental health specialists. TMH represents a feasible solution to
delivering services to these communities, and the article describes how
this type of system would benefit patients. Establishing a sustainable
TMH program between health centers and state medical schools would
reduce barriers and provide patient solutions, without the need to
navigate separate health care systems.

The study is led by several of CHPW’s health network participants –
including Family Health Centers, Moses Lake Community Health Center, Sea
Mar CHC and Yakima Neighborhood Health Services – and the University of
Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. CHPW also
plays a key role in SPIRIT as a member of the study’s Executive Council.
In this role, CHPW supports the implementation of the study in
Washington state and assesses the long-term sustainability of its
approaches, including identifying billing and policy barriers.

The winning article was recognized at the National Rural Health
Association’s Annual Rural Health Conference on May 9 in Atlanta. To
read the article click
here and to learn more about CHPW visit chpw.org.

About CHPW

Founded in 1992 by a network of community health centers in Washington
state, Community Health Plan of Washington is a community-governed,
local not-for-profit health plan. CHPW’s mission is to deliver
accessible managed care services that meet the needs and improve the
health of our communities. CHPW believes in the power of community; when
people stand together, they stand stronger and are able to help each
other reach their best health. CHPW serves approximately 270,000 members
through Medicaid and Medicare programs across the state. To learn more,
visit chpw.org or
connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
or LinkedIn.

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