TAMPA, Fla., March 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Staywell Health Plan, a WellCare (NYSE: WCG) health plan dedicated to serving Medicaid members in Florida, now offers its members behavioral health care services via a telehealth option to increase engagement, convenience and access to care.
One out of every five adults has a diagnosable mental disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Because behavioral health issues can frequently accompany or complicate physical health issues, WellCare fully integrates behavioral health care to better address its members' total health needs.
Through its relationship with IMPOWER, an Orlando-based nonprofit mental health and child well-being organization, Staywell members are able to have video conference sessions with clinicians using a computer or tablet from the comfort of their own homes. This convenient option eliminates the time and cost associated with traveling to appointments and missed work or school. If medication is needed, it can be delivered directly to members' homes, in some cases within 24 hours.
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Until this month, IMPOWER was the only behavioral health organization in Florida with permission from the state for its providers to prescribe controlled substances for the treatment of mental illness to telehealth members. The Florida Board of Medicine recently updated its telemedicine regulations to allow other telehealth providers to also prescribe under the right conditions.
Jennifer Castro, 41, of Davenport, is a big proponent of telehealth. She and her 14-year-old son, Angel, are Staywell members.
After the unexpected death of his father, Angel, who has Asperger's Syndrome, withdrew even further. He stopped eating and didn't want to go to school. Castro got him the behavioral health care he needed, and persuaded him to give telehealth a try.
"It was hard to convince him, but he loves his therapist now," Castro said. "It's been helping. You can see it on his face. His self-esteem is improving big time."
Castro, who works as a preschool teacher at a daycare center, also appreciates the convenience and savings. She doesn't miss the hour-long drive to his appointments, or the cost of gas and food breaks along the way. Now Angel just takes the family laptop into his room for his appointments.
"Offering convenient treatment options to help our members get the care they need is critical to maintaining health and well-being," said Julie Harmon, WellCare of Florida's director of product operations – behavioral health. "Telehealth is a very convenient option that increases access to care, especially for those who live in rural areas and busy families juggling work and school schedules."
