Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:1202-1205
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
The use 0f two-way TV in bringing mental health services to the inner city
N Straker, P Mostyn and C Marshall
The authors describe a cable TV link between a medical school and a child
health station in East Harlem. Nurse associates and community health
workers trained through television conferences with a child psychiatrist
have the primary responsibility for patient care at the clinic. Patients
and their mothers are evaluated by the child psychiatrist in TV
consultations at which nurse associates, health workers, medical students,
and child psychiatric fellows are present. Patients and mothers respond
positively to the system, and a high percentage of the psychiatrist's
treatment recommendations are accepted. The authors suggest that such TV
links can increase mental health services to underserved inner-city
children.
