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Office of Mental Health

Telehealth Services

Telehealth plays a valuable role when on-site services are delayed or not available. Telehealth can:

  • improve access to care
  • offer local care in a timely fashion
  • improve continuity of care
  • improve treatment compliance and coordination of care

"Telehealth" is defined as the use of telehealth technologies by telehealth practitioners to provide mental health services at a distance.

TELEHEALTH TIMELINE

2015: OMH introduces 14 NYCRR Part 596, establishing a formal set of standards for using "telepsychiatry"

2016: OMH expands regulation to allow the use of telepsychiatry beyond licensed MHL Article 31 mental health clinic settings.

2019: OMH amends regulation:

  • Allows more providers to deliver services
  • Expands distant and originating site locations
  • Increases number of eligible programs

2022: OMH further expands the regulation:

  • Changes the term Telemental Health to Telehealth, aligning with all state agencies
  • Allows for the use of audio-only
  • Strengthens language around consent and recipient preference
  • Expands the definition of telehealth practitioner
  • Removes PROS and ACT specific language
  • Allows the ability for all telehealth practitioners to deliver services from outside NYS
  • Removes the requirement of an in-person initial assessment
  • Allows the use of telehealth for Article 9 admissions

UNDERSTANDING PART 596

OMH offers direction to licensed or designated providers who wish to offer telehealth to their clients. The guidelines describe the implications for:

  • application for use of telehealth
  • clinical guidance
  • training resources
  • billing guidelines
  • technology and telecommunication standards

OMH is in the process of updating Telehealth Guidance.

OMH COVID-19 Consolidated Telemental Health Guidance

Post-COVID Implementation of Telemental Health for Inpatient Psychiatry and CPEP

Telemental Health Guidance for Local Providers

Telemental Health Attestation-Appendix 1

Part 596 Telehealth Regulations

Comments or questions about the information on this page can be directed to telehealth@omh.ny.gov