2 . Inter-system Connectivity is Seen as a Major Opportunity Stakeholders express a strong willingness to “ break down silos ” yet do not share a unified strategy to do so . For example , several Stage 1 interviewees indicate they want to affect positive change – especially since March 2020 . There is a strong desire and belief that , as one stakeholder said ,
“ Because of what we have all experienced since March [ i . e ., COVID-19 impact ], we now more than ever believe that we all need to work together to save lives and truly improve the health and wellness of our community – ONE community !”
• Stage 1 interviewees note that improving response to , and caring for , individuals struggling with behavioral health issues requires collaboration across service sites and supporting agencies , including public safety and healthcare . Many state that “ now more than ever ,” there is an opportunity to modify regulations , protocols and other system-level issues to improve the ability to share helpful information and optimize service efficiencies .
• For example , the criminal justice system plays a major role in addressing behavioral health and substance use issues . There is a strong [ almost urgent ] sentiment among several stakeholders that communication and information sharing among the current public health and public safety systems needs to be a high priority activity .
• Many feel it would be beneficial to relocate 2-1-1 services back to Polk County .
3 . 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 .”
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