Mental health providers & digital health solutions offer resources to encourage timely access to mental health crisis services
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 28, 2020 – According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, almost 1 in 5 Americans experience mental health concerns each year, while more than 100 die by suicide every day. COVID-19 crisis precautions introduced such as social distancing and self-isolation, coupled with the fear of medical emergencies and growing anxiety about the prolonged nature of the crisis, could amplify the number of people suffering from mental health concerns across the US. With Qualtrics reporting that 41.6% of the population has seen a decrease in their mental wellness since the COVID-19 outbreak, an innovative website resource aims to help alleviate their suffering.
As COVID-19 emergencies consume precious healthcare resources, timely access to mental health crisis care has never been more critical. With 20,000 – 40,000 people being admitted to emergency departments across the US each day for psychological purposes, providing a pathway to crisis care is essential. Across the world, a coalition of digital health solutions companies and mental health crisis responders called the Pandemic Crisis Services Response Coalition have designed a website to make it easier for Americans to prevent a mental health crisis while accessing available treatment when it is necessary.
The website, www.covidmentalhealthsupport.org, includes three main sections: guidance for people in crisis wishing to access support, guidance for helping a loved one in crisis, and resources for health care professionals.
“The ability to access mental health crisis services is critical at this time, yet COVID-19 is impacting the typical ways people receive help in a crisis,” says Travis Atkinson, president of the Crisis Residential Association and co-chair of the American Association of Suicidology’s Crisis Services Committee. ”As Emergency Rooms focus their capacity on COVID-19 patients, and psychiatric hospitals decrease their census to conform to social distancing guidelines, people in crisis need to know how to access available mental health services.”
Digital health solutions partners including KeepAppy, Live For Tomorrow, and All Mental Health are contributing to the cause.
“It has never been more important to take preventative action for mental health than now, in the face of the mental illness crisis coming as a result of COVID-19,” says Aimée-Louise Carton, co-founder of KeepAppy. “Using digital health and WellTech solutions will be a key mechanism for creating a bridge of preventative mental wellbeing support during this time of social distancing and isolation.”
While there is suffering as a result of COVID-19 that is unavoidable, mental health suffering can be prevented or minimized with the right interventions. The Pandemic Crisis Response Services Coalition is committed to doing all that we can to prevent additional deaths of despair due to consequences of our current situation..
Organizations that would like to join the effort or suggest additional resources are encouraged to visit https://www.covidmentalhealthsupport.org/contact.
For more information and interview requests, please contact:
Aimée-Louise Carton
Co-founder and CEO, KeepAppy
p: +353 851439503
e: alcarton@keepappy.com
Notes to Editors:
The Pandemic Crisis Services Response Coalition members:
- All Mental Health
- American Association of Suicidology
- Centerstone
- CONTACT-USA
- Crisis Residential Association
- Crisis Text Line
- Headstream
- KeepAppy
- Live For Tomorrow
- National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention
- National Association of Crisis Organization Directors
- RI International
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
- SilverCloud
- TBD Solutions
- The Trevor Project
KENTWOOD, MI (April 10, 2020): A recent national survey of behavioral health crisis service providers reveals that crisis services are severely impacted by the effects of COVID-19, as workers are overwhelmed and service demand is fluctuating dramatically. This includes Mobile Crisis Teams, Crisis Residential Programs, and Crisis Call Centers across the country.
A report released by TBD Solutions LLC in conjunction with other leading mental health
organizations analyzed the responses of over 350 crisis providers, including 147 Mobile Crisis
Teams, 130 Crisis Residential Programs, and 93 Crisis Call Centers. The research revealed a
crisis system susceptible to the same issues as its medical counterparts that must be treated
with the same heightened consideration. Survey responses were elicited from members of the
American Association of Suicidology, the Crisis Residential Association, and the National
Association of Crisis Organization Directors.
“As illness spreads in our area, there will be reduction in our workforce due to illness, isolation,
and return-to-work policies,” one respondent to the survey stated. “Staff [have] concerns about
continuing to work amid the public health concern.”
“The longer COVID-19 progresses in the United States, the greater the importance of behavioral
health crisis services on public health,” says Travis Atkinson, Crisis Systems Consultant with
TBD Solutions. “This pandemic has become the great equalizer for helpers and persons served,
yet the physical and mental stability of our behavioral health workforce is crucial in preventing
and treating mental health crises and avoiding the unintended consequences of social
distancing, such as suicide and untreated mental illness.”
Responses to the survey fell into six main categories:
- Staffing: Morale and workforce stability have been compromised, leaving supervisors with few solutions to keep their services intact.
- Health Concerns: Employees maintain a fear of contracting and/or spreading COVID- 19.
- Clinical Services and Client/Caller Support: With so much attention and energy devoted to COVID-19 risks, programs have less human and financial resources to devote to treatment interventions.
- Equipment/Supplies/Technology: Dozens of respondents reported inadequate supplies of critical PPE needed to do their jobs, and limited technology and IT equipment is inhibiting some Crisis Call Centers and Mobile Crisis Teams from moving to a remote workforce.
- Operations/Sustainability: When some crisis services exist in fee-for-service models, reduced referrals means reduced income, forcing some providers to make difficult staffing and operations decisions.
- Community Resources: Outpatient therapists, homeless shelters, psychiatric hospital beds, primary care clinics, and other critical resources have reduced service capacity or offer services remotely, an option that is not accessible for those with limited resources. “Crisis services play such an absolutely vital role in ensuring our nation’s health and well-being,” says Colleen Creighton, CEO of the American Association of Suicidology. “Unfortunately, this study illuminates just what an incredible burden COVID-19 is placing on an already underfunded, at near-capacity system. These are individuals that continuously sacrifice their time to selflessly care for us and our communities, day-in and day-out, all year round. As the national conversation turns to our country’s recovery, we need to work to ensure that behavioral health crisis services and their needs are a factor in that dialogue.”
MOBILE CRISIS CHALLENGES: Mobile Crisis Teams reported an overwhelmed workforce due
to health concerns (71%) and a lack of critical supplies (71%), such as Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE). More than 1 in 3 teams reported inadequate technology to work remotely
(37%), increased demands on first responders with care coordination (36%), and an
overwhelmed workforce due to fewer staff.
Forty-eight percent of Mobile Crisis Teams reported a decrease in calls.
CRISIS RESIDENTIAL CHALLENGES: 70% of Crisis Residential Programs reported an
overwhelmed workforce due to health concerns and a lack of critical supplies as major
concerns. Over half of respondents also cited attrition due to health concerns (53%) and an
overwhelmed workforce due to fewer staff (51%) as considerable challenges.
Forty-eight percent of Crisis Residential Programs reported a decrease in referrals.
CRISIS CALL CENTER CHALLENGES: Crisis Call Centers identified lack of critical supplies
(47%), an overwhelmed workforce due to increased referrals (45%), and attrition due to health
concerns (35%) as their most pressing challenges.
Almost half (49%) of all respondents reported an increase in call volume since the onset of COVID-19, with some stating they are receiving double the usual volume.
The full report can be found here.
About TBD Solutions LLC: TBD Solutions (Kentwood, Michigan) is a national consulting, training, and research firm specializing in behavioral health crisis system design, function, and performance. Formed in 2011, TBD Solutions is committed to the values of high-quality, cost- effective, and client-centered care that effectively meets the urgent and ongoing needs of individuals receiving services. Learn more at www.tbdsolutions.com.
About AAS: The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center volunteers, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have in interest in suicide prevention. You can learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
About CRA: The Crisis Residential Association and its members exist to support the operational and clinical functions of residential alternatives to psychiatric hospitalization. Rooted in the values of empathy, recovery, and continuous improvement, the association seeks to connect providers with the best ideas in behavioral health treatment to transform the way people receive mental health care. More information is available at www.crisisresidentialnetwork.com.
About NASCOD: The National Association of Crisis Organization Directors is an organization for social service professionals serving as Executive Directors or Program Directors of crisis organizations. NASCOD’s mission is to provide support and professional development for executive directors and program managers. More information is available at www.nascod.org.
