Telehealth and New Technologies Committee report

Committee members: Julie Bindeman, Fran Blumberg, Elizabeth Carll, Jerri Lynn Hogg, Shreya Hessler, Dana Klisanin, Bernie Luskin, Tony Ragusea, Pamela Rutledge, Ed Spector, June Wilson, and Sharon Tettegah.

The Telehealth and New Technologies Committee of Division 46 has expanded and has subdivided into two subgroups: (a) telehealth and (b) new technologies, including media literacy. The Committee will be meeting telephonically as a whole and also in subcommittees. We are focused on addressing the needs and uses by all psychologists (testing, consulting, I/O, clinical, supervising, forensic, research, etc.) on the ethical and proper use of technology.

Among the goals of the Committee are:

• We will have a depository of information for Division 46 members, as well as the rest of APA, in these areas.

• We have compiled the standards and guidelines of various professional groups in the area of telehealth and/or technology which will be posted on the new website.

• We are gathering information on various software and hardware items that are HIPAA-compliant and confidential for the benefit of psychologists.

• We hope to train psychologists on the appropriate and confidential use of augmented technologies via webinars, programs, and information.

• We hope to share best practices of media literacy and online safety.

• We hope to accumulate findings of the impact of new technologies.

• Dr. Fran Blumberg conducted an interview with H. Chad Lane, research scientist from USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, about virtual humans. http://www.apa.org/ divisions/div46/blumberg.html • An interview with Stephen Balkam, CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, is scheduled for December 2012.

• Dr. Tony Ragusea wrote a brief overview of Telehealth for Psychology (article follows).

Committee members are developing symposia to submit for the 2013 APA Annual convention.