Telehealth – the use of technology to provide and coordinate health care at a distance - is an increasingly critical component in the delivery of health services. Using technology to provide healthcare remotely is seen as a major strategy to address the continuous increase in the demand for care. For MCH populations, telehealth has proven to be an effective tool in making the types of specialized care and coordination needed by children with special health care needs (CSHCN) more accessible; and has been used to provide quality care in areas such as behavioral health, neonatal care, disease management and more.
Trainings from the MCH Navigator
Literature has identified six competencies across studies associated with telehealth. These six competencies are seen as the domains necessary to address when providing telehealth and serve as the underlying structure of this training brief. View each of the competency areas below and corresponding learning opportunities for: 1) Communication skills, 2) Coaching skills, 3) Ability to combine clinical experience with telehealth, 4) Clinical knowledge, 5) Ethical awareness, and 6) Supportive attitude.
Meta Resources:
Rural Telehealth Toolkit (Rural Health Information Hub). The toolkit compiles evidence-based and promising models and resources to support organizations in identifying and implementing telehealth programs to address common challenges experienced in rural communities. The toolkit contains seven learning modules to guide learners through all aspects of planning, implementing, disseminating, and evaluating telehealth programs.
Telehealth & Health Equity: Considerations for Addressing Health Disparities during the COVID-19 Pandemic (CDC: September 15, 2020; webina;r 64 minutes). Presenters discussed the intersection of telehealth and health equity and implications for health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Presenters identified long-standing systemic health and social inequities that contribute to COVID-19 health disparities, while highlighting opportunities and limitations of telehealth implementation as an actionable solution.
Strategies for Successful Public Health Messaging.Year Developed: 2013. Source: Northwest Center for Public Health Practice. Presenter(s): Tim Church; James Apa. Type: Webinar Archive. Level: Advanced. Length: 60 minutes.
Integrating Health Coaching and Technology with Vulnerable Clients.Date Developed: October 13, 2015. Source: National Frontier and Rural Telehealth Education Center. Presenter(s): Scott Walters, PhD; Emily Spence-Almaguer, MSW, PhD. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 42 minutes.
Mentoring and Coaching.Year Developed: 2011. Source: South Central Public Health Partnership. Presenter(s): Louis Rowitz, PhD. Type: Narrated Slide Presentation Podcast. Level: Intermediate. Length: 120 minutes.
Technology-Based Clinical Supervision: A Practical Guide.Date Developed: September 12, 2017. Source: National Frontier and Rural Telehealth Education Center. Presenter: Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD. Type: Video Conference Presentation. Level: Introductory. Length: 59 minutes.
How New Technologies are Transforming Health Care.Date Developed: n/a. Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Presenter: Meredith Melnick; Ashish Jha, Mark Mitchell, Randall Moore, Steve Crossan, Maureen McCarthy. Type: Video Panel Discussion. Level: Introductory. Length: 59 minutes.
New Ethical Dilemmas in the Age of Technology.Date Developed: July 11, 2017. Source: National Frontier and Rural Telehealth Education Center. Presenter: Christina Boyd, LDCSW, LCAC. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 52 minutes.
Engaging Patients and Providers with Telehealth.Date Developed: June 12, 2017. Source: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Presenter: Mei Wa Kwong, JD. Type: Webinar. Level: Introductory. Length: 57 minutes.
Telehealth Competencies: Training Brief
May 2018, Updated August 2020 Authors: Keisha Watson, Ph.D., MCH Navigator Reviewers: Faculty and staff of the National MCH Workforce Development Center
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number UE8MC25742; MCH Navigator for $225,000/year. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.