Response

Senate bill S.1077 titled Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2023 is a proposed bill with four co-sponsors; introduced to the Senate on March 3, 2023. The Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2023 aims to create a telehealth program in rural areas, to increase mental health and substance use services in the underserved rural population. The bill explicitly targets individuals through telehealth in the home with occupations in forestry, fishing, and farming. Currently, the bill is referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (S.1077 - 118th Congress, 2023).

Social Determinant

The social determinant of healthcare access most affects this proposed healthcare policy. Fortunately, this bill targets individuals with occupations; fishing, forestry, and farming, which are in a rural setting where access to healthcare is limited. On the heels of the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health-related problems have increased, especially in the underserved rural population. According to Czeisler et al. (2020) transportation and location issues impact the accessibility of mental health treatment in rural communities. Rural areas historically have lower-paying occupations. With inaccessibility comes cost. As distances to mental health services increase, the cost to the patient also increases.

Evidence Supporting Bill

Telemedicine is the future of healthcare and is a cost-effective measure to improve outcomes. We can create a more personalized health plan through data-driven evidence, decreasing costs and expediting healthcare delivery (Milstead & Short, 2019). There is substantial evidence to support this proposed policy. Since 1999 suicide rates have continued to rise in the rural population compared to urban populations (Mohatt et al., 2021). According to a study by Bulkes et al. (2021), with a population size of 2,384 participants, telehealth is a viable treatment option and is as effective as in-person treatment. The study also demonstrated that telehealth is a viable alternative for patients who live further from mental health resources. Undoubtedly a significant barrier to this health policy is the extraordinary costs associated with implementation. This bill accounts for this by allotting 10 million dollars in grant funding to authorize this health policy through fiscal years 2023-2027 (S.1077 - 118th Congress, 2023). I look forward to the progression of this proposed health policy through congress.

References

Bulkes, N. Z., Davis, K., Kay, B., & Riemann, B. C. (2022). Comparing efficacy of telehealth to in-person mental health care in intensive-treatment-seeking adults. Journal of psychiatric research, 145, 347–352. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.11.003

Czeisler MÉ , Lane RI, Petrosky E, et al. Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, June 24–30, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:1049–1057. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6932a1external icon Links to an external site..

Milstead, J. A., & Short, N. M. (2019). Health policy and politics: A nurse's guide (6th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Mohatt, N. V., Kreisel, C. J., Hoffberg, A. S., Mph, L. W., & Beehler, S. J. (2021). A Systematic Review of Factors Impacting Suicide Risk Among Rural Adults in the United States. The Journal of Rural Health : Official Journal of the American Rural Health Association and the National Rural Health Care Association, 37(3), 565–575. https://doi.org/10.1111/jrh.12532 Links to an external site.

S.1077 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): Home-based Telemental Health Care ... (n.d.). https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1077