might remain wary of being potentially
exposed to COVID-19, Bowling
assures that neglecting your own
health might be a far greater danger
to you.
“I advise people to make appointments
and keep them,” Bowling said.
Mental health clinics also faced
rapid transformations in the face of
COVID-19. Matt Grammer, the founder
and CEO of Kentucky Counseling
Center, discussed the center’s quick
response to the pandemic.
“We closed 10 of our mental health
facilities a few days before the state
mandated that we do so. It was a time
of high stress, but we converted the
company to a 100% telehealth operation
that we call KCC Direct in a matter
of two days,” Grammer said.
And while KCC Direct offered a
swift alternative to traditional counseling
sessions, some patients, particularly
in rural areas, faced hardships
with internet connectivity when trying
to video chat with counselors. In
response to this issue, Grammer stated
that insurance companies began
allowing appointments by phone
when necessary.
“The state is really supporting
the mental health care movement
right now, so we are able to offer
counseling, psychiatry and targeted
case management to everyone without
them having to leave home,”
Grammer said.
Now more than ever, Grammer
stresses the importance of mental
health.
“The impacts of COVID-19 on
mental health are significant. I think
this is why we see the governor
encouraging folks to seek treatment
during this time,” Grammer said. “All
of our lives have been disrupted in
one way or another, and the level of
fear and anxiety is higher now that it
has been in a long time.”
In the future, Grammer said, continued
use of KCC Direct and an
expansion of its abilities are in the
works. According to Grammer, more
than 60% of Kentucky Counseling
Center providers plan to continue utilizing
telehealth alternatives after the
center’s offices reopen.
“I believe that telehealth is the
future, and in a few years, it will
become the norm for mental health
treatment. … Now instead of connecting
with patients in the seven cities
where we have offices, our reach
is across the entire state. We are
helping patients in counties that don’t
currently have mental health treatment
centers,” Grammer said.
Matt Grammer
I believe telehealth is
the future, and in a few
years, it will become
the norm for mental
health treatment...
June- July 2020 Madison Magazine 5