Treatment Demand is Increasing – Driving Telehealth and Other Service Line Changes Providers are responding to increased behavioral health demand in an environment of more restrictive access to care ( e . g ., limited in-person hours , masking requirements , and others ) by making service line changes ; however , several barriers to care remain or may even be increasing .
• The COVID-19 pandemic has increased anxiety and depression , and the true impact of the pandemic is not yet known . Some expect suicide rates nationally and locally to increase as much as 32 % over the next two years .
• Since many people have chosen to forego outpatient , partial hospitalization , or other care over the past nine months , the acuity level of those seeking inpatient care has increased dramatically .
• Telehealth , while not perfect for every situation , has helped to improve the access to services , but many providers indicated they will discontinue use of telehealth once the pandemic ends .
“ We previously had to allot a lot of time for travel between homes , but they [ care providers ] could increase case load due to telehealth . We worked through the wait list - people could get service in a week which is amazing .”
• Behavioral health and substance abuse issues are not mutually exclusive - many individuals suffer from both , and as such need to be treated for both simultaneously . The comorbidity of substance use disorders with other behavioral health conditions is very high ; stakeholders said that efforts to address the issues must be coordinated and inclusive .
“ I spoke with about 35 people seeking some type of care for a substance use disorder problem this week . I ’ d say that nearly all had some additional form of behavioral health issue .”
• Stigma is perceived as greatly restricting people ’ s willingness to seek care for behavioral health issues ( especially substance use disorder and schizophrenia-related issues ). Stakeholders suggest that stigma is prominent in the general population , as well as some additional challenges due to cultural , religious , and income-related issues .
Many Stage 1 Stakeholders Feel that it is Important to Capitalize on School Resources Stakeholders indicate that schools ( i . e ., school-age children ) are high need areas , and they have the ability to provide information and resources that can uniquely reach generations of families , catch problems early , and help potentially avoid future ACEs .
• Social media is a driver , and kids tend to frequently post on social media channels about drinking and drugs , which seem more accepted now . The increasing legalization of marijuana is a concern , as is the culture in schools of idolizing certain personalities .
• The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged communications with students , so more issues are likely to be discovered when students return to school .
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