Outpatient Programs Expand Care Access in Kentucky, Hawaii

Hawaiʻi Virtual Care has launched a statewide virtual intensive outpatient program for mental health, substance use, and co-occurring conditions, offering structured treatment by video to residents who may otherwise face travel, cost, or local-access barriers. The program reportedly combines group, individual, and family therapy in evening sessions, providing a more intensive option than weekly therapy without requiring residential care. Its launch comes amid a reported shortage of adult psychiatrists in Hawaiʻi and significant unmet need for substance-use treatment, though the available coverage does not establish the program’s clinical outcomes or effect on wait times. Broader national research found virtual care accounted for most outpatient mental-health visits among commercially insured patients from 2023 to 2025, but use varied substantially by age and geography, including lower uptake among children and rural patients—underscoring the importance of addressing access barriers.