Creating a National Native Telebehavioral Health Network: The IHS Telebehavioral Health Center of Excellence

Abstract

In this narrative, the authors describe the development of the Indian Health Services Telebehavioral Health Center of Excellence, which now provides clinical care and continuing education across the nation to improve access to behavioral health care in Native American communities. This initiative developed from an initial partnership between colleagues working at the University of New Mexico and the Albuquerque Area of the Indian Health Service and quickly grew in response to a national need to strengthen the behavioral health workforce. The authors describe the initial steps in forming a partnership between two large institutions and reflect on lessons learned and key steps that were critical to sustaining an ongoing collaboration.

The views and opinions expressed in this narrative are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Indian Health Service.