Dr. Erica A. Abel is a licensed, clinical psychologist (Ph.D., Adelphi University) whose interests lie in Medical Informatics and Telemental Health. She serves as an Early Career Representative on the Steering Committee of the Proposed Society for Technology and Psychology (ST&P).  Dr. Abel has extensive work experience in the private sector having worked in publishing, healthcare and financial services (in the areas of business management and technology).

Currently, Dr. Abel is an Advanced Fellow in Medical Informatics and Telemental Health with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and is directly affiliated with the National Telemental Health Center (NTMHC), VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven (VACHS) and Yale University. Her Telemental Health clinical practice and research focus on using videoconferencing for mood disorders. Dr. Abel has received VA certification in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression (CBT-D) and has been working with the NTMHC to develop pilot programs to deliver CBT-D using videoconferencing. She is also working with the NTMHC ‘Telebipolar’ program. This program, using a collaborative care approach, provides psychopharmacology and life goals treatment to Veterans with bipolar disorder. In this capacity, she is gaining knowledge about Life Goals Collaborative Care for Veterans with Bipolar Disorder while providing informatics support to the ‘Telebipolar’ team.

Finally, Dr. Abel is collaborating with other VA researchers on several projects including: 1) developing robust electronic search strategies and filters for Telemental Health literature; 2) analyzing national Telemental Health evidence based treatments outcomes and; 3) examining Veterans’ use of multiple VA technologies including videoconferencing and the VA’s personal health record (my HealtheVet).

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