Abstract
The Impact of Telehealth Policy and Mental Health Care for Older Adults
Shelby R. Steuart, PhD, Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management, University of Maryland
This pilot study investigates the impact of recent telehealth policy expansions on behavioral health care access and treatment among older adults with substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health conditions—populations that have seen rising but underdiagnosed and undertreated needs. Using Medicare claims data and advanced econometric methods, the study will (1) assess how telehealth policies influence initiation of psychosocial services, such as outpatient therapy and substance use treatment, and (2) evaluate whether telehealth access improves retention in behavioral health treatment. The goal is to generate actionable, population-level evidence to inform future policies and interventions that improve care access and health outcomes for older adults with complex behavioral health needs.