When Barbara Van Dahlen was brainstorming ways to address veterans mental-health needs 10 years ago, she was inspired by Craigslist and the way the site made it easy for buyers to find sellers. <\/p>\n
I thought I should be able to use technology to connect mental-health professionals all over the country with veterans and their families, said Van Dahlen, a licensed clinical psychologist and president of nonprofit group Give an Hour. The organization gives troops and their families access to free mental-health services through video sessions with a network of volunteers. <\/p>\n
Give an Hour was founded in 2005 when few had heard of telehealth and the iPhone did not exist yet. <\/p>\n
Fast forward to 2015: The charity now teams up regularly with technology firms to help veterans. It has worked with the likes of Google to reach more veterans through a series of video chats. It paired with Booz Allen Hamilton to analyze program data to better deliver services. And it is exploring a partnership with Doctor on Demand, an app that gives users 15-minute appointments with doctors, virtually. <\/p>\n
Technology is critical in overcoming the stigma around mental-health issues, said Van Dahlen, who launched a national campaign to raise awareness about the topic in Washington last week. <\/p>\n
Technology allows people from the privacy of their own computer screen to say, I dont know if Im depressed, but Id like to find out more, she said. <\/p>\n
In 2013, Give an Hour partnered with Googles veteran network group on an experiment called Google Helpouts that lets ordinary people connect with subject-matter experts using the video-chat platform Google Hangouts. Experts were available on a range of topics from health to cooking to home repair, some for free and others for a fee. <\/p>\n
The partnership brought Give an Hours model to a vast network of Google users, Van Dahlen said, but Google said in a blog post that it would end Helpouts on April 20, because it hasnt grown at the pace we had expected. <\/p>\n
Give an Hours technology initiatives come as the Department of Veterans Affairs ramps up its own efforts to integrate technology in its health-care system. <\/p>\n
For example, VAs Connected Health program seeks to give veterans better access to medical care through smartphones, tablets and other mobile technology. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Go here to see the original:<\/p>\n
Health care for veterans goes high tech<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Barbara Van Dahlen was brainstorming ways to address veterans mental-health needs 10 years ago, she was inspired by Craigslist and the way the site made it easy for buyers to find sellers. I thought I should be able to use technology to connect mental-health professionals all over the country with veterans and their families, said Van Dahlen, a licensed clinical psychologist and president of nonprofit group Give an Hour. The organization gives troops and their families access to free mental-health services through video sessions with a network of volunteers. Continue reading