Meeting veterans where they're @: a VA Home-Based Telemental Health (HBTMH) pilot program.

Objectives:The first Home-Based Telemental pilot program (HBTMH) in the Department of Veterans Affairs addresses the significant challenge of access to mental health treatment for rural veterans. Though the feasibility of telemental healthcare in clinic-based settings has been well documented, the feasibility of telemental health via webcam and computer in a patient's home or other non-clinic settings is unknown.Methods:The HBTMH program, established in December 2009 at the Portland VA Medical Center, delivers a wide range of mental health services into the homes and other non-clinic settings of rural veterans via webcam, secure and encrypted software and veteran-owned personal computers. The program adhered to a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Manual, evaluated patients with the Assessment for Suitability for Home Based Telemental Health (ASH-25), utilized a Patient Support Person (PSP), and incorporated a peer technical consultant to provide assistance to veterans. The authors describe satisfaction a...