mental health

• Digital Services
• Health care

SAMHSA and other agencies are introducing communications and tech campaigns to support the mental health challenges of older people.

Additional funding is providing $2.5 billion to the agency in supplemental block grant funding for states for pandemic-related stressors.

Technology has played a powerful role in providing individuals with mental and physical health services amid COVID-19, both in making them aware of what resources are available through strategic communications and in the abilities offered through telehealth and remote care. 

Health officials are seeing a need for improved communication channels and rapid testing and reporting at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in order to control COVID-19 cases in those facilities across the country.

The Department of Veterans Affairs continued expanding the availability of its mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and will likely build upon this foundation in the coming year.

• HealthCast

Tech influenced more than telework as health professionals dealt with changing the stigma of talking about changing behavioral needs during social distancing.

Federal health officials are seeking and applying different technology solutions and programs to support health care providers amid high rates of burnout and mental and physical health distress.

• HealthCast

Technology plays a critical role in addressing significant mental health challenges for cancer patients during the pandemic.

• GovCast
• Health IT

Looking ahead to the future of American health care.

COVID-19 has caused shutdowns and isolation, increasing mental health distress for many Americans and making it difficult to access in-person treatment for mental health disorders.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is prioritizing suicide prevention research and promoting digital counseling resources to help mitigate and manage mental health risks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Army has adopted the technology, especially in mental health care, as DHA has advanced telemedical capabilities.