CTRC has specialized expertise supporting patients in rural and underinvested communities, as well as patients with disabilities, experiencing housing insecurity or some other health-related social need, or seeking care in their preferred language or that is grounded in their culture.
Use our unbiased resources or contact us to find the useful answers you need & visit Telehealth.HHS.gov for more information.
For a list of resources on Crisis Counseling, Housing Assistance, Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Veterans and other state resource programs visit CalHOPE.org. CalHOPE delivers crisis support for communities impacted by a national disaster, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and run by the California Department of Health Care Services.
Provider Locator Resources
These provider locator resources can help you explore healthcare providers and services that may fit your needs.
Providers may choose to participate voluntarily, and listing does not mean that CTRC endorses or recommends a particular provider. CTRC does not schedule appointments or coordinate care. Before making an appointment, contact the provider and your health insurance plan to confirm services, availability, and coverage.
Hotlines in the United States
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
Suicide Hotlines in the United States:
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for free – 24/7
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Spanish: Llame al 988 y presione 2 o envíe un mensaje de texto con la palabra AYUDA al 988.
LGBTQIA+ Hotlines:
The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386
Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860
Substance Abuse/Alcohol Abuse Hotlines:
- SAMHSA’s National Helpline for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for Free – confidential, 24/7. Available in English and Spanish.
Maternal Health
Hotline:
- National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262) – Free, confidential support available 24/7 by phone or text in English and Spanish
If you are unable to locate the resource/helpline, please reach out to us CTRC at (877) 590-8144 Mon-Fri (9am-5pm) or email us at CalTRC@ochin.org
Connect to the Internet,
Increase Telehealth Opportunities
Patients and providers can maximize cost savings on internet bills. Learn more by visiting GetInternet.gov, a central portal for federal programs and providers.
The Lifeline program is a federal government initiative that helps eligible households pay for internet services and connected devices. Qualifying families can receive a monthly discount on broadband service and may combine this benefit with other state and local programs where available.
To apply for Lifeline, households can submit an application online through the National Verifier, by mail, or through a participating phone or internet company.
Before you apply, check for state and local programs in your area that may offer additional discounts, such as California LifeLine and other low-cost broadband initiatives.
Please note: The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended on June 1, 2024, and new applications are no longer being accepted. For more details, visit the FCC’s ACP page.
FAQs for Patients
Q: I speak a different language. Can I still get care?
A: Absolutely. All California health plans are required to provide you with assistance in your native language. This might mean sending an interpreter in person for the visit. It could also mean bringing an interpreter into the visit virtually. Check with your health plan member services representative to discuss available options.
Q: What types of equipment are used to facilitate telehealth services?
A: Typical equipment includes computers with cameras, smartphones, or tablets. Connectivity options include cellular or Wi-Fi.
Q: Does my health plan cover telehealth services?
A: Many health plans in California cover telehealth services. Check with your health plan member services representative or visit www.findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov
Q: Is my personal information safe and secure?
A: Yes! Your personal health care information is always safe and secure whenever you have a telehealth visit. Every health care organization protects all details related to you, and telehealth is no different. If you’re worried about privacy, just ask your provider what steps they take to safeguard your important medical information.
Common Telehealth Terms
Telehealth or virtual care can include a range of services
and some common terms used related to telehealth
Direct to Consumer Telehealth is when a patient is not required to physically go into a health care center to receive medical or mental health service. The patient can connect directly with a provider from their home using a mobile phone, tablet, computer or any device that connects to the internet to receive care.
Asynchronous Telehealth or Store and Forward: Is when someone from a medical or mental health office collects and records medical health history in the form of data, images, audio or video that they send over to another provider for evaluation using a secure portal to be review at a later time by a clinical health provider for the purposes of interpretation, diagnosis, consultation and/or treatment.
Audio-only Telecommunication is communication through the use of a telephone.
In-Person Visit is when a provider and patient are physically present in the same room
Distant Site is the telehealth site where the provider/specialist is seeing the patient at a distance or consulting with a patient’s provider. Other common names for this term include – hub site, specialty site, provider site and referral site.
Face-to-Face Is when a patient physically goes into a health center to see a provider
Medically necessary health care services: Any medical issue related to preventing, diagnosing, or treating an illness, injury, disease, or its symptoms and is clinically appropriate.
Originating Site means the site where the patient is physically located at the time a telehealth service or telehealth consultation is provided. Usually, your home or health care center.
Remote Patient Monitoring means the collection, transmission, evaluation, and communication of individual health data from a patient to their healthcare provider. Remote technologies including wireless devices, wearable sensors, implanted health monitors, smartphones and mobile apps. Remote patient monitoring supports ongoing condition monitoring and chronic disease
Telehealth consultation means a medical or health consultation for purposes of patient diagnosis or treatment that meets the definition of telehealth. Telehealth Informed
Consent is when a patient is agreeing to receiving care treatment virtually. Consent is required before a healthcare service is provided via telehealth
Telehealth Patient
Education Materials
Telehealth is a way to receive healthcare services digitally. Telehealth lets you videoconference with doctors through computers, tablets, or smartphones and virtually connect to your clinic or other health locations without leaving your home.
Success Stories
The Success Stories on this page illustrate how telehealth can literally change lives. It improves patient awareness, enhances clinical efficiency, reduces care-related costs, and more. It can also make a dramatic difference for safety net, rural, and vulnerable patient populations.
Use these inspiring examples as a blueprint for your own California-based telehealth program. Got a Success Story of your own? Share it with us!
Questions? We Can Help!
