Ohio joins interstate mental health compact

SANDUSKY — Ohio will soon join an interstate compact to provide psychological treatment through telemedicine thanks to a new state law authored by state Sen. Theresa Gavarone. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine recently signed Senate Bill 2, which makes several changes in mental health treatment in Ohio, including joining Ohio to PSYPACT, the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact. Psychologists licensed in states that are part of the compact can practice telepsychology across state lines. PSYPACT says 15 states and the District of Columbia are members. The participating states are Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and Virginia. Five other states have approved legislation that will go into effect soon: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia. Ohio's law becomes effective on July 26. Eleven other states have legislation in the works to join PSYPACT. Psychologists in Ohio who have obtained the necessary credentials will be able to practice telepsychology for patients in the other states that are part of the compact or provide temporary, in-person care for a patient from another state. And patients in Ohio will be able to obtain telepsychology treatment from a provider in another state. Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, said she believes her bill will increase access to care and help provide continuity of care. It could be useful to "snowbirds" from northern Ohio who like to winter in a warmer state, and to college students studying in a state outside of their own. "It takes a while to build a relationship or to find a psychologist you feel comfortable with," Gavarone said. "It's nice to know you'll be able to stay with that person." Even before the pandemic hit, a shortage of mental health professionals boosted the importance of telemedicine. Firelands Regional Medical Center, for example, told the Register in 2018 that it was moving toward using telepsychiatry to provide access to care. Many people, particularly the young, feel comfortable using telemedicine, Gavarone said. "Telemedicine can be a great option to get people access to care," she said. Gavarone, a former member of the Ohio House, said she got a teledentistry bill approved during his first term in the Ohio General Assembly when dentists came to her for help. A dentist using a special camera can look at a person's mouth, determining if further care is necessary, Gavarone said. Senate Bill 2 also has a provision that says that criminal defendants facing misdemeanor charges can undergo an exam in an outpatient setting or be examined through electronic means. The provision means that beds in Ohio's psychiatric hospitals can be freed up for more serious cases.