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TOPLINE: The Veterans Health Administration implemented 18 regional Clinical Resource Hubs (CRHs), where remote clinicians deliver virtual mental health care, addressing staffing gaps amid increasing demand and workforce shortages. Early implementation showed promise in improving access, with program benefits extending beyond temporary staffing solutions.
METHODOLOGY:
Semistructured interviews were conducted with 36 CRH mental health leaders across all 18 regions.
A rapid qualitative approach was used, incorporating templated summaries and matrix analysis.
Participants included leads responsible for implementation and coordination, as well as Chief Mental Health Officers overseeing facility-based services.
Regional leaders collaborated through executive meetings to ensure appropriate mental health practitioner assignments and effective service delivery to facilities in need.
TAKEAWAY:
The CRH program demonstrated 3 key values: enhanced integration compared with community care, expanded specialty mental health services in rural areas, and improved provider recruitment and satisfaction.
Leaders argued that the program could prevent unnecessary delays for veterans who might experience longer wait times for mental health services in the community.
Mental health practitioners can work virtually across multiple health care systems, with hybrid schedules combining on-site and virtual care delivery.
The program attracted numerous qualified applicants for virtual care.
IN PRACTICE: “Mental health leaders’ perspectives on CRH value suggest the program is more than a contingency staffing solution for mental health care access challenges, but also potentially offers additional benefits that could be leveraged to improve mental health care services more generally," wrote the authors of the study.
SOURCE: The study was led by the Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation in Los Angeles. It was published online in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research.
LIMITATIONS: The researchers identified lower productivity among CRH staff compared with facility staff, indicating unused capacity. The program's rapid national implementation may have contributed to challenges, as hubs were established quickly, potentially before fully determining regional demand. Some facilities requiring services may have lacked the necessary infrastructure for timely implementation.
DISCLOSURES: This work received support from the Veterans Health Administration Primary Care Analytics Team, funded by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Primary Care. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Government.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
TOPLINE: The Veterans Health Administration implemented 18 regional Clinical Resource Hubs (CRHs), where remote clinicians deliver virtual mental health care, addressing staffing gaps amid increasing demand and workforce shortages. Early implementation showed promise in improving access, with program benefits extending beyond temporary staffing solutions.
METHODOLOGY:
Semistructured interviews were conducted with 36 CRH mental health leaders across all 18 regions.
A rapid qualitative approach was used, incorporating templated summaries and matrix analysis.
Participants included leads responsible for implementation and coordination, as well as Chief Mental Health Officers overseeing facility-based services.
Regional leaders collaborated through executive meetings to ensure appropriate mental health practitioner assignments and effective service delivery to facilities in need.
TAKEAWAY:
The CRH program demonstrated 3 key values: enhanced integration compared with community care, expanded specialty mental health services in rural areas, and improved provider recruitment and satisfaction.
Leaders argued that the program could prevent unnecessary delays for veterans who might experience longer wait times for mental health services in the community.
Mental health practitioners can work virtually across multiple health care systems, with hybrid schedules combining on-site and virtual care delivery.
The program attracted numerous qualified applicants for virtual care.
IN PRACTICE: “Mental health leaders’ perspectives on CRH value suggest the program is more than a contingency staffing solution for mental health care access challenges, but also potentially offers additional benefits that could be leveraged to improve mental health care services more generally," wrote the authors of the study.
SOURCE: The study was led by the Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation in Los Angeles. It was published online in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research.
LIMITATIONS: The researchers identified lower productivity among CRH staff compared with facility staff, indicating unused capacity. The program's rapid national implementation may have contributed to challenges, as hubs were established quickly, potentially before fully determining regional demand. Some facilities requiring services may have lacked the necessary infrastructure for timely implementation.
DISCLOSURES: This work received support from the Veterans Health Administration Primary Care Analytics Team, funded by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Primary Care. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Government.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
TOPLINE: The Veterans Health Administration implemented 18 regional Clinical Resource Hubs (CRHs), where remote clinicians deliver virtual mental health care, addressing staffing gaps amid increasing demand and workforce shortages. Early implementation showed promise in improving access, with program benefits extending beyond temporary staffing solutions.
METHODOLOGY:
Semistructured interviews were conducted with 36 CRH mental health leaders across all 18 regions.
A rapid qualitative approach was used, incorporating templated summaries and matrix analysis.
Participants included leads responsible for implementation and coordination, as well as Chief Mental Health Officers overseeing facility-based services.
Regional leaders collaborated through executive meetings to ensure appropriate mental health practitioner assignments and effective service delivery to facilities in need.
TAKEAWAY:
The CRH program demonstrated 3 key values: enhanced integration compared with community care, expanded specialty mental health services in rural areas, and improved provider recruitment and satisfaction.
Leaders argued that the program could prevent unnecessary delays for veterans who might experience longer wait times for mental health services in the community.
Mental health practitioners can work virtually across multiple health care systems, with hybrid schedules combining on-site and virtual care delivery.
The program attracted numerous qualified applicants for virtual care.
IN PRACTICE: “Mental health leaders’ perspectives on CRH value suggest the program is more than a contingency staffing solution for mental health care access challenges, but also potentially offers additional benefits that could be leveraged to improve mental health care services more generally," wrote the authors of the study.
SOURCE: The study was led by the Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation in Los Angeles. It was published online in Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research.
LIMITATIONS: The researchers identified lower productivity among CRH staff compared with facility staff, indicating unused capacity. The program's rapid national implementation may have contributed to challenges, as hubs were established quickly, potentially before fully determining regional demand. Some facilities requiring services may have lacked the necessary infrastructure for timely implementation.
DISCLOSURES: This work received support from the Veterans Health Administration Primary Care Analytics Team, funded by the Veterans Health Administration Office of Primary Care. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the U.S. Government.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
