DOD offers online mental health counseling

By Mary Mosquera

The Defense Department’s military health system will launch Aug. 1 an online system to support counseling and other behavioral healthcare for service members and their families. DOD’s TRICARE health system is targeting the services especially to military and eligible reserves returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Web-based TRICARE Assistance Program (TRIAP) is a demonstration project that lets members and their families use computers, Web cams and associated software to speak virtually face-to-face with a licensed counselor at any time, according to Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of the TRICARE Management Activity, which administers the military health plan. 

TRICARE’s regional contractors provide the behavioral health services, which include assessments, short-term counseling and, if the TRIAP counselor determines more specialized care is necessary, a referral to a more comprehensive level of care.

 “While most service members will still get face-to-face care in a military treatment facility or through the TRICARE network, the addition of telemental health care and TRIAP will really help us enhance access to a variety of behavioral health care services,” Hunter said.

TRICARE’s telemental health services use medically-supervised, secure audio-visual conferencing to link beneficiaries with offsite providers. TRICARE’s regional contractors are establishing networks of telemental health providers, who can evaluate, treat and refer patients as necessary via video.  

This is a “solution that can overcome limited provider availability, geographic distance, scheduling difficulties and the social stigma that sometimes surrounds seeking psychological healthcare,” said David McIntyre Jr., chief executive officer of TriWest Healthcare Alliance, which is based in Phoenix and one of TRICARE’s regional contractors.

TriWest will provide behavioral health services to members in Hawaii through access to American Well’s Online Care platform. Military service members and their families will be able to speak with social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists beginning Aug. 1. 

This is the first time that the military health system has used the Online Care platform and the first time that Online Care is delivering a specific behavioral health program. TriWest will evaluate the technology as a means for members to increase their access to timely and appropriate care, McIntyre said.