| Background: |
In
Spring 1995, House Bill 2275
allocated $250,000 per year
of Tobacco Tax revenues to
establish a three-year pilot
telemedicine program
designed to facilitate
provision of medical
services to low income,
indigent or uninsured
persons living in medically
underserved areas.
In January 1996,
Northern
Arizona Regional Behavioral
Health Authority (NARBHA)
received funding from the
Arizona Department of Health
Services (ADHS) to develop a
telemedicine system that
would enhance the delivery
of behavioral health
services throughout northern
Arizona. |
| In 1997, 1998, and
1999, NARBHA NET Received national recognition as a "Program of
Excellence" and as one of the top ten telemedicine programs in the
United States. |
|
| Overview of NARHBA and Telemedicine Program: |
NARBHA
is a private, nonprofit corporation
as responsible for planning, funding
and monitoring of behavioral health
services throughout the five
northern counties of Arizona. This
area covers 62,000 square miles with
a population of 440,000. NARBHA
contracts with a network of
community-based agencies that
provide behavioral health services
to adults, children and families and
the seriously mentally ill.
The
system, "NARBHA NET",
began full operation on November 1,
1996, with videoconferencing sites
in Flagstaff, Show Low, St. John's,
Page, Prescott, and a site at the
Arizona State Hospital in Phoenix.
Additional sites that are currently
operational include: Flagstaff (a
second site), Holbrook,
Springerville, Cottonwood, Kingman,
Lake Havasu City, Winslow, Bullhead
City, Whiteriver, and a site at ADHS
Behavioral Health Services.
In
August of 1998, NARBHA NET
established a permanent connection
with Community Partnership of
Southern Arizona (CPSA) which
enables NARBHA NET sites to connect
with 15 sites in Tucson and southern
Arizona.
In
November of 1998, NARBHA NET
established a connection with the
Arizona Telemedicine Program, based
out of the University of Arizona in
Tucson. Through this connection,
NARBHA participates in medical grand
rounds, continuing medical education
courses and specialty physician
consulting.
The
December 1997, 1998 and 1999 issues
of Telemedicine and Telehealth
Networks magazine recognized NARBHA
NET as a "Program of
Excellence" and one of the Top
Ten telemedicine programs in the
nation. |
