Penn State Health OnDemand offers employees, families virtual behavioral health services

Penn State Health OnDemand now offers virtual behavioral health services to Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine staff and their eligible dependents. The services began on July 4.

OnDemand Mental Health Therapy enables patients ages 10 and older to see a licensed psychologist or counselor online to address common behavioral health challenges, such as anxiety, depression and grief counseling. A typical session is 45 minutes. Therapists also can coordinate future virtual appointments with a psychiatrist, if needed.

Licensed psychiatrists can provide psychiatric assessments, evaluations and treatment through OnDemand Psychiatry. An initial consultation lasts 45 minutes. Psychiatrists also can provide care and ongoing medication management for a variety of conditions such as bipolar disorder, cognitive disorders, eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

“Human Resources came to us with a need for increased access to mental health support for our employees and their families, and together we evaluated how virtual care could provide a solution,” said Chris LaCoe, vice president of virtual health services at Penn State Health. “We also consulted our own Penn State Health behavioral health experts to help guide these new offerings.”

Patients using either the therapy or the psychiatry services will receive an individualized treatment plan, and the provider may recommend future visits and/or medication. Only psychiatrists can prescribe medication, and they are not able to prescribe controlled substances through virtual visits.

Virtual visits are secure and comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act patient privacy standards. Sessions are not recorded. Patients have the option of sharing session notes with their primary care providers through the service and may also request a copy for their own records.

To schedule an appointment, patients will need to create an OnDemand account, if they do not already have one, and enter their insurance information. Patients should check their insurance benefits plan to understand costs they may incur.

Employees and their family members may schedule their OnDemand Mental Health Therapy and/or Psychiatry appointments through the Penn State Health OnDemand website or the mobile app. Anyone who needs help setting up their account should contact the virtual health concierge team at 1-833-774-3627.

These virtual services do not replace the current Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offered through Human Resources. The OnDemand virtual offerings are an additional means of support. Details about the EAP can be accessed through the mySolutions portal on the HR Infonet site.

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