Telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry is the use of information technology to facilitate the delivery of clinical services. It can be as simple as telephone based care or as advanced as teleconferenced based assessments and treatment.
With John Bennett, ACSW, Dr. Alessi started the first Telepsychiatry program at the University of Michigan and had one of the first commercial contracts. This first project involved the delivery of psychiatric services to children and adolescents at Hiawatha Behavioral Health, a community mental health agency in the eastern upper pennisula of Michigan. This project was begun in 2003 and except a short hiatus continues as a project thru AlessiCEBS. Each week psychiatric services are provided to over 100 children and adolescents, ages 3-17 years of age. These youth have a broad range of psychopathology including ADHD, bipolar disorders, depression, anxiety, autistic spectrum disorders and other conditions.
In addition, over the last three years Dr. Alessi has provided care to juvenile offenders at Baypines training school in Escanaba, Michigan. This involved the evaluation and treatment of over 40 juvenille offenders, ages 13-19, who had committed crimes that resulted in their placement in a medium security facility.
Dr. Alessi has presented results of this experience at the American Telemedicine Association, American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and in several academic settings. Particular emphasis has been placed on "Telephamacology" and its safety.