Princeton Health Child and Adolescent therapists Kyle Bonner, MSW, LCSW, and Suzanne Haggerty, MSW, LSW, presented a live web chat on Coming out LGBTQ.
The concept, which began in 2010, was a twist on Penn Medicine Princeton Health’s Community Wellness programming. A physician or other health professional would provide a presentation on a health or wellness topic. But interested individuals would skip the trip to a public meeting space. Instead, they could receive the expert’s advice from the comfort and privacy of home.
Today, that initiative has grown into award-winning series of live chats and prerecorded videos known as Princeton Health on Demand. Hosted on the video-streaming network USTREAM (www.ustream.tv/princetonhealth), Princeton Health on Demand premieres new videos each month, which then remain available for on-demand viewing. More than 100 videos — on a variety of topics — are posted on the USTREAM channel, which has logged 45,000-plus views.
Topics covered by Princeton Health on Demand videos have included bariatric surgery; gastrointestinal disorders; lung cancer screening and treatment options; pediatric concussions; women and alcohol abuse; and sleep disorders, to name a few. Videos have also covered issues related to home care and hospice, as well as behavioral health and other topics related to substance abuse. The online format — which offers easy accessibility from home computers, tablets or smartphones — is especially good for more sensitive issues, which some people may be uncomfortable discussing in public.
Most are prerecorded, but, recently, two therapists from Princeton House Behavioral Health hosted a live, interactive chat titled Coming out LGBTQ: A sexual identity discussion for families. Chat topics are usually scheduled well in advance, but the format offers flexibility to quickly schedule discussions of trending topics.