Course Summary
Practice Level: Beginner
Many Americans are at risk for, experiencing, or recovering from serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorders (SUD). Unfortunately, barriers to care—such as access to appropriate providers, stigma associated with SMI and/or SUD, and competing priorities (e.g., career and family responsibilities)—can hinder or prevent these people from receiving treatment. Telehealth is one potential solution to this challenge. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders discusses telehealth’s potential to improve accessibility of care and health outcomes. The purpose of this introductory-level learning material is to present social workers, counselors, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists with the information needed to implement telehealth therapy into the treatment of SMI and SUD.
This learning material discusses the need, benefits, and challenges of telehealth in the treatment of SMI and SUD among adults. It also reviews the effectiveness of care provided through telehealth. Other topics examined in this learning material include challenges and strategies for selecting and implementing telehealth-delivered practices, examples of telehealth treatment programs, and approaches to evaluating telehealth modalities. Upon completion of this course, providers will have the information needed to apply evidence-based strategies when screening, assessing, and treating SMI and SUD via telehealth modalities.
Course Format
This course contains downloadable online lessons (PDF) and a practice test.
Learning Objectives
- Define the types of telehealth available for the treatment of serious mental illness and SUD.
- Describe the benefits and challenges of using telehealth in the treatment of serious mental health illness and SUD.
- Recognize evidence-based synchronous telehealth modalities available for screening, assessing, and treating individuals with serious mental health illness and SUD.
- Describe considerations and strategies to facilitate effective implementation of telehealth-delivered treatments at the client-, provider-, and organizational-level.
- Explain the role and implementation of evaluation strategies in telehealth treatment.
Course Syllabus
- Chapter 1: Issue Brief
- Chapter 2: What Research Tells Us
- Chapter 3: Guidance for Implementing Evidence-Based Practices
- Chapter 4: Examples of Telehealth Implementation in Treatment Programs
- Chapter 5: Resources for Evaluation and Quality Improvement
Authors
SAMHSA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMHSA leads public health efforts that advance the behavioral health of the nation. On samhsa.gov SAMHSA states that its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on communities in America.
William A. Cook, PhD
William A. Cook, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist who worked for 15 years in private practice in Montana before leaving his practice to work full time as theDirector of CE4Less. He earned his doctorate degree from Texas A&M University, and focused much of his psychology practice in the area of child and family counseling, as well as psychological testing.
Accreditation Approval Statements
CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/8/24-8/8/27.
Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.
This course has been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345, CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

CE4Less.com has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6991. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE4Less.com is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Level Education Group, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0835.
We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.