Introduction to the Special Series: Applying New Technologies to Extend the Scope and Accessibility of Mental Health Care

Abstract

Rapidly developing and affordable information and communication technologies, broadening Internet availability, and increasingly sophisticated capacities for live home-based and mobile broadcasting have transformed how we communicate, work, and learn. The growing potential for technological innovations to transform the scope of psychological interventions and extend the accessibility of evidence-based mental health care for traditionally underserved individuals holds enormous promise. New technologies also offer exciting opportunities to broaden the reach of treatment dissemination efforts to previously unimaginable capacities. As the incorporation of new technologies into clinical practice and training efforts becomes increasingly routine, a new set of ethical, legal, and risk management issues must be carefully considered and as a field we must be cautious against technological innovations and opportunities advancing at a pace more rapid than the development of appropriate consensus guidelines and relevant regulatory standards. This special series (a) addresses key matters of consideration regarding the appropriate, safe, and secure application of technology into mental health care from leading experts in the emerging field of behavioral telehealth, and (b) presents recent efforts that illustrate the promise, potential, and challenges associated with the incorporation of new technologies into mental health care.