Marlene M. Maheu, PhD
Dr. Marlene Maheu started delivering her first telehealth service in 1994. Donned the “telepsychology visionary” by former APA President Pat DeLeon, PhD, JD, MPH, she is a consultant, researcher, author, and trainer. Dr. Maheu trains professionals interested in legal and ethical best practices related to telehealth and various technologies. She serves as the Executive Director of the Telebehavioral Health Institute, Inc., where she oversees professional training in telebehavioral health via an eLearning platform that has served behavioral clinicians from 73 countries.
For more than twenty years then, Dr. Maheu’s focus has been on legal and ethical risk management related to the use of technologies to better serve behavioral health clients and patients. She has served on a dozen professional association committees, task forces and work groups related to advancing telebehavioral health as well as establishing standards and guidelines for telebehavioral health. She has written dozens of peer-reviewed articles and is the lead author of multiple telehealth textbooks.
As Faculty Associate of the Nicholas A. Cummings Doctor of Behavioral Health Program, School of Health Solutions, she teaches doctoral students how to work with technology as behavioral health professionals. As Editor-in-Chief of the Telebehavioral Health News, she oversees the publication of a weekly newsletter and providing a community blog as free educational services to help TBHI’s community of more than 14,000 licensed professionals. From 1994-2016, she was the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of SelfhelpMagazine, an online portal that supported millions of consumers worldwide.
As the Co-Founder and President of the Coalition for Technology in Behavioral Science (CTiBS) from 2011 to the present, she has led the nonprofit organization through several initiatives to responsibly advance the use of technology in the behavioral sciences. The initiatives include the development of interdisciplinary Telebehavioral Health Competencies and the launch of the Journal for Technology in Behavioral Science (JTiBS), which is funded and published by Springer Publishing. CTiBS is also focused on developing credentialing for telebehavioral health practitioners.
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Psychologist
Psychologist
Dr. Maheu is a Licensed Psychologist in San Diego, California and works as a telepsychologist (PSY#11921). She has served these leading professional mental health associations in various telehealth-related positions since 1995:
Coalition for Technology and Behavioral Science (CTiBS)
American Psychological Association (APA)
American Counseling Association (ACA)
American Telemedicine Association
California Psychological Association (CPA)
Member: American College of Healthcare Executives
Author
Author
A Practitioner’s Guide to Telemental Health: How to Conduct Legal, Ethical, and Evidence-Based Telepractice
As telecommunication technologies and health apps become more ubiquitous and affordable, they expand opportunities for mental health professionals to provide quality care. However, physical distance, as well as technology itself, can create challenges to safe and ethical practice. Such challenges are manageable when following the best practices outlined in this book.
Career Paths in Telemental Health
This visionary volume spotlights innovative mental health careers in today’s technology-driven climate while inspiring readers to create their own opportunities. Unique and engaging perspectives from professionals across disciplines and job titles describe the thought processes, ingenuity, and discipline behind matching technologies to the needs of specific populations and settings. These non-traditional paths show digital advances as used in frontline, complementary, supplemental, and alternative interventions, in academic and training settings, in private practice, and in systems facing transition. The diversity of these contributions illustrates the myriad openings technology presents for both professional fulfillment and clients’ improved well-being.
The Mental Health Professional and the New Technologies: A Handbook for Practice Today
Dr. Maheu’s third book, The Mental Health Professional and the New Technologies: A Handbook for Practice Today was co-authored with Myron Pulier, M.D., Joseph McMenamin, M.D., Esq., Frank Wilhelm, Ph.D., and Nancy Brown-Connolly, RN, MSN. Written by this highly specialized multidisciplinary team, this text serves as a how-to manual for both the beginner as well as seasoned telehealth professional. It gives a wide range of examples for how to use (and not use) email, chat rooms, telephones and video conferencing systems with patients to deliver remote service. It details how to build a professional presence through websites and communities. It guides the reader through an easy-to-understand outline of risk management from the perspective of legal/ethical solutions. To the delight of many, it also provides a sample of the type of informed consent document to be considered for use with patients when using technology as a mental health professional or coach.
E-Health, Telehealth & Telemedicine A Guide to Startup and Success
Dr. Maheu is the lead author of E-Health, Telehealth & Telemedicine A Guide to Startup and Success. This academic/professional book was co-authored by Pamela Whitten, Ph.D. and Ace Allen, M.D. This text is a hands-on resource that shows how communication technologies can be designed, implemented, and managed to help professionals expand and transform their professional roles. Step by step, the authors reveal how to introduce innovative communication tools to a wide range of settings. This indispensable book contains suggestions for program development, ethical, legal and regulatory solutions, and technical options. For more information, see this description and comments from leaders in healthcare, business and administration.
An Interprofessional Framework for Telebehavioral Health Competencies
Interprofessional telebehavioral health (TBH) competencies have been developed to standardize training and improve the quality of TBH care. The CTiBS TBH framework organizes seven topic domains and five subdomains according to competency level, i.e., Novice, Proficient, or Authority. In turn, each competency level is categorized into 51 discrete telebehavioral objectives, which are then distinguished by 149 cumulative and measurable telebehavioral practices.
A Framework of Interprofessional Telebehavioral Health Competencies: Implementation and Challenges Moving Forward
The seven identified interprofessional TBH competency domains and three levels of expertise (novice, proficient, and authority) are briefly described. More in-depth descriptions and examples of several of the competency domains are presented to illustrate the competencies in practice. Some of the challenges faced in using such a competency framework are discussed.
Survey of Psychologists’ Telebehavioral Health Practices: Technology Use, Ethical Issues, and Training Needs
As telecommunication technologies have become more widely available and affordable, opportunities for psychologists to engage in telebehavioral health (TBH) have expanded greatly. A national sample of 164 professional psychologists completed a 28-item survey. Overall, a substantial discrepancy was noted between psychologists’ positive appraisals of TBH and actual implementation, underscoring the ongoing barriers in the adoption of telehealth technologies in practice. Future directions addressed the need for training and education in TBH best practices.
Publications
Other Publications (book chapters and journal articles)
Review this page for a listing of Dr. Maheu’s other telebehavioral health-related publications.
Consultant
Consultant
Dr. Maheu offers consultation in these areas:
Expand technology service/product offerings
Recruit mental health providers
Broaden your successful financial model
Manage your risk through coordinated training for quality control
Develop manageable legal/ethical risk management policies
Supervise clinical staff
Train your sales force to answer questions about legal and ethical issues
Educate existing referral sources
Develop new referral sources
Trainer & Speaker
Trainer & Speaker
Since 1994, Dr. Maheu has personally delivered or helped organize nearly 200 telehealth-related professional papers and training sessions at the American Psychological Association, American Telemedicine Association, the American Counseling Association, and numerous state professional associations and private meetings. She has trained more than 25,000 professionals internationally.
As an ethicist, her areas of expertise include risk management: legal/ethical, standard of care, clinical protocols, authentication, informed consent, community-building and the nuances of malpractice insurance for remote practitioners. Her consumer-oriented speaking topics include wearable and sensor-based technologies for behavioral care; how the Internet of Things is already changing healthcare; artificial intelligence, machine learning and affective computing; behavioral “apps” and how to evaluate for validity, reliability, user experience and other essential factors; hardware and software product development and marketing.
She has trained students and faculty at leading universities such as Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Alliant University, Arizona State University, and Johns Hopkins. She is the former Director of Telehealth and eHealth for Alliant University and on the faculty at the Arizona State University, Nicholas A. Cummings Doctor of Behavioral Health Program, School of Health Solutions. She is the Founding and Current President of the Coalition for Technology and Behavioral Science (CTiBS), where she led the team that developed a peer-reviewed, scientific journal, known as the Journal for Technology in Behavioral Science (JTiBS) and another team that developed the Interprofessional Framework for Telebehavioral Health Competencies.
Her training is offered both 100% online and in-person. TBHI’s online coursework gives you access 24/7. You will receive a rich, multimedia platform to enhance your enjoyment and learning retention. If you’d prefer to hire a TBHI faculty person trained in TBHI workshop delivery in-person, please submit a speaking request here (please let us know if you need CE credit so that we may determine if it can be made available for you or your group).
Training Participant Comments
Training Participant Comments
Comment about Marlene Maheu PhD from Active Communications International’s First National Conference on Implementing, Advancing and Expanding Telemedicine Programs and Services, Orlando, FL:
Tracey Harris, ACI
Comment from the College of Alberta Psychologists’ Annual Professional Development Day, Calgary, Alberta, Canada:
Comments from the Idaho Counseling Association in response to Dr. Marlene Maheu’s Workshops:
“Legal and Ethical Strategies for Successful Distance Counseling”
- Excellent.
- Absolutely relevant and on target. Very timely.
- Thank you for a great presentation. I feel much more prepared for some of the upcoming changes to the field.
- Thank you!
- Excellent presentation and information. Thank you!
- Great information. Very effective presentation.
- Great job! Many questions answered.
- I think this was an excellent break out because this is the direction the world is going.
- An awesome seminar – well organized, knowledgeable – fantastic speaker!
- Rocked! Best ever! Thank you!
- Nice to actually LEARN something.
- Excellent presentation! A lot of useful information.
- Interesting – and I will be contacting you soon, re: caregiver help.
- Really made me think I will apply what I’ve learned.
- Great presentation!
- Great!
- Loved the detail and the interaction. No questions left unanswered.
- Future of counseling interesting.
“Create Passive Income with Online Self-help Products”
- Foundational information. Tailored exactly to what I am thinking.
- Even better – definitely want more of her contact and info.
- Great resources are given throughout. Very helpful. Thank you for providing a thumb drive with PowerPoint slides. This will come in handy when I need the info for my future practice.
- Loved this – I’m now very excited to get started!
- Appreciated your knowledgeable responses.
- Great info, making complicated processes – a little more understandable.
- Excellent.
- It’s a “lot” of new info – trying to catch up – it’s exciting.
- Thank you for providing a thumb drive and PP. Great help for overcoming the time crunch. Great info!
- Great training – exactly the kind of information I was hoping for. Helped me to generate a lot of ideas. Thank you.
- Wonderful – lots of info, Great presenter.
- Awesome topic and presenter an expert.
- I needed more advanced strategies/info, the presenter has that info.
- Really enjoyed and very helpful. Marlene inspired me.
“We were honored to have Dr. Maheu as our keynote for our annual conference. Her delivery is precise and engaging. Her knowledge is immense and helpful. Her passion is genuine and contagious!”
Kendal M. Tucker, Past-President of the Idaho Counseling Association
“On behalf of the Behavioral Health Information Technologies & Standards (BHITS) team, please accept our profound thanks for your thought-provoking and very comprehensive presentation! I/we are extremely pleased with the outcome. Thank you so much for being such an enthusiastic and knowledgeable expert. We have thoroughly enjoyed working with you on this endeavor!”
Alan Moghul, Ph.D, Associate, Division of Health & Environment | ABT Associates
“Dr. Maheu is a true expert and joy to work with. Her presentation was informative and valuable to our audience”
Jackie Passamani, Healthcare Training Leader
Sponsoring Groups for Training & Speaking
Marlene Maheu PhD Sponsoring Groups for Training & Speaking
Dr. Marlene Maheu has given live presentations to these groups:
American Association of State and Provincial Licensing Boards
American Association of State Counseling Boards
American Psychological Association
American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Telemedicine Association
Arizona Psychological Association
Atlanta Center for Cognitive Therapy
Behavioral Healthcare Tomorrow 2000
Behavioral Health Information Management
Behavioral Informatics Tomorrow
Behavioral Health Information Technologies & Standards (BHITS)
Department of Defense
Encinitas Medical Specialty Clinic
Evergreen Georgia Psychological Association
The Guidance Center
Lorman Institute
Medtrade
Mental Health Pros
Michigan Psychological Association
Minnesota Psychological Association
Moscow Cyber Mental Health Support and Assistance
National Center for Telehealth & Technology
National Council on Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity
National Summit on Interpersonal Violence & Abuse
NFAR ATTC Behavioral Health Technology Summit
Ontario Psychological Association
Open Minds Information Technology Institute
Oregon Psychological Association
Pioneer Development Resources, Inc.
San Diego Psychoanalytic Society
San Diego Psychological Association
"For nearly 20 years Marlene has been the leader in thought, training and advocacy regarding the impact of technology on mental health professions."
Former President, American Counseling Association
"As a consultant, Dr. Maheu is creative, engaging, insightful, funny, easy, wise, and overall a delight to work with. Her energetic participation was infectious and raised everyone's game."
CEO, Ease Interactive
"Technology is crucial to our advancement as a profession in the 21st century. Marlene Maheu has been a forerunner in this endeavor to bring telepsychology to our practice, training and research."
Adelphi University
"The Telebehavioral Health Institute provides all of the essential training needed to start practicing telemental health or telepsychiatry. The courses are unsurpassed, unique and contain everything one needs to know in order to start practicing. Upon completing this training, a provider is "ready to go."
"Marlene is an engaging speaker and is at the cutting edge of mental health and technology. I'd highly encourage seeing one (or more) of her presentations. Her ideas will inspire you with possibilities."
Partner at The Practice Institute and co-author of Financial Success in Mental Health Practice
"Dr. Maheu has been a consistent and courageous pioneer in the use of technology to improve mental health services for over a generation. Her training will provide you with essential tools to start a successful telepractice while remaining complaint with legal, ethical and other risk management strategies."
Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Georgia State University
"Marlene is incredibly tech savvy with laser-sharp understanding of how to make the best use of innovative social media in professional settings."
The Pennsylvania State University
"Marlene is a pioneer, leader and strong advocate for ethical telemental health practices. Her presentations, workshops, articles and books provide valuable, thoughtful and informative ideas about how to deal with the many complex issues presented by rapidly evolving technologies."
"Dr. Maheu did a superb job of teaching many of the key concepts in tele-mental health to therapists in our organization."
Past President, Mental Health Pros
"Marlene is a true innovator in bringing technology to the mental health field. Her books are a must and I recommend them to my students."
"Dr. Maheu is one of the most knowledgeable people in the country in the area of psychology and technology. She has a rich perspective on the benefits and challenges in this field and has been extremely generous in sharing her resources and expertise."
"Marlene has established herself as a pioneer, expert, and forceful advocate for the telehealth. I've taken her courses and periodically consult with her. I count on her for thoughtful and ethical guidance in this complex field."
Clinical Psychologist, Private Practice - Psychotherapy & Supervision
"Dr. Maheu is a leading national expert on the application of psychology in tele-health, online services and use of new technologies to support and expand your practice. Marlene does terrific workshops--don't miss them if you have a chance to see her in action."
Past President, American Psychological Association
"Dr. Maheu is psychology's telehealth visionary, leading our colleagues through professional training in ethics and innovative technologies since the mid-90's. Telepsychology is the 21st century and our practitioners in particular must become knowledgeable."
Former President, American Psychological Association
"I wanted to establish a task force on 'new media,' but only if Marlene Maheu, a long-time leader in telepsychology, would agree to be its chair. She did, and the task force exceeded my highest hopes."
Former President, Society for the Psychology of Women, American Psychological Association
"Dr. Maheu is an outstanding leader, educator, and creative force in the field of telehealth. She has been a long-term advocate for the use of empirically-based practices in telepsychology and has provided solid guidance to practitioners in the ethics and conduct of telehealth services."
College of Medicine, Florida State University
"Marlene Maheu is a trailblazer in the field of telehealth. She was one of the first psychologists to even consider the concept of providing electronic services to patients and has been a leader in that field. Marlene is also a mover and a shaker and seems to be able to make nearly anything happen."
Professor, CSU Dominguez Hills
"Dr. Maheu was writing and presenting on telehealth and psychology of the Internet when the rest of us didn't even know how to spell it, much less know what it means or how to practice it. She is a true visionary and a pioneer in the important area of tele-mental-health."
Zur Institute
"Marlene is an intelligent, thoughtful, and diligent clinical psychologist. I've known her for years and her work in ethics and telehealth have been of the highest caliber."
Partner, Behavior Therapy Associates, LLP
"Thank you for spearheading a wonderful presentation on grants for us at the ATA Telerehab SIG."
"I am thoroughly enjoying the certification program. It is filled with useful, practical information."
