Datapoints: Use of a Behavioral Health Web Site and Service Utilization

18 A some regard mental health Web sites as a useful adjunct to therapy, a primary concern has been the use of such sites as a “BandAid,” which may delay or prevent consumers from obtaining much-needed mental health care (1,2). This study examined whether allowing free access to a behavioral health care Web site would affect the use of mental health services in a random sample of 1,806 adults who were enrolled in United Behavioral Health, a national managed behavioral health organization, and who had accessed their benefits for the first time. Members were randomly assigned to a group that received free and confidential access to the Web site (N=1,211) and a control group that had no access (N=595). Members of the first group were informed about their access by mail during the week of July 9, 2001; the second group received no information. Use of mental health services was tracked over a four-month period. Of the 1,211 members with access, 54 (4.5 percent) signed on to the Web site’s home page at least once during the four months. Neither Web site access nor logging on to the site were predictive of a mental health visit. No significant difference was found between the group that had Web site access and the control group in the time from the date the member requested an authorization to see a mental health clinician and the Use of a Behavioral Health Web Site and Service Utilization