Digital Mental Health Technology: Opportunities and Challenges
According to many sources, mental health in the U.S. is reaching a crisis point and the strained behavioral health workforce cannot keep up with growing demand. This issue has led to increasing investments in the development of Digital Mental Health Technology (DMHT). With so many new solutions and product offerings becoming available, there is significant confusion among consumers, providers, and funders about which tools are effective and safe, and which can be trusted to protect privacy and sensitive data. In this session, we will engage national and regional experts in a discussion about the many different definitions and categories of DMHT, the ways in which they can be used to bolster the mental health workforce, and related challenges and opportunities from both a policy and an equity perspective that behavioral health funders should be mindful of if considering related requests.
For those interested in a read ahead, we recommend this report, "Near-Term Policy Solutions to Bolster Youth Mental Health Workforce through Digital Technology", by the Meadows Institute.
Speakers include:
Kacie Kelly, Chief Innovation Officer at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
Nadia Ward, M.Ed., Ph.D., Director of the Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise at Clark University
About the Network:
The Behavioral Health Funders Network (Network) is a state-wide network of funders working in the area of behavioral and mental health and wellness. For over 4 years the Network has been meeting regularly for peer learning, knowledge sharing, and relationship building. Key norms of this Network are trust, confidentiality, and a learning/growth mindset.
The stated goals of the Network are: 1) Improve behavioral health services by providing a space and opportunity for learning from one another, and 2) Exchange information with the potential for collaboration on projects ranging in size from large, overarching initiatives to smaller community-based projects.