Getting Real Care, Virtually

Do you have a computer or mobile device with reliable internet connection? It’s an important question mental health providers and clinics have been asking since the COVID-19 pandemic response started. People who can answer “yes,” are often able to connect with licensed mental health providers.

People moving quickly to virtual connections

We’ve shown you a lot about how the stress of the pandemic is affecting America’s mental health - like this study from Pew Research Center. And, just as many people jumped to virtual platforms to connect with family and friends, a lot of people used video and phone appointments to connect with therapy.

• Medicare reported that paid insurance claims for telehealth services jumped more than 80 times once COVID-19 shutdowns began, according to a report to Congress.

• Almost half of all mental health visits took place virtually during the pandemic. More than twice as likely as visits for other health issues, according to a study of commercial insurers.

Virtual mental health care is effective

You might not have heard much about video or phone therapy appointments before the pandemic, but they’ve been around and researched for decades. Studies show teletherapy can be as effective as in-person treatment for illnesses like depression, anxiety, PTSD and more.

“Research to date shows mental health care delivered remotely—also known as telepsychology or teletherapy—is effective,” according to the American Psychological Association (APA).

But, the APA notes more needs to be learned about how well teletherapy works for those of us with serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia or psychotic disorder.

While the research shows how well virtual tools work for those who use them, they don’t work well for people who have trouble accessing or using technology. Research also suggests that many of these care technologies may have the same inherent cultural biases that exist in the mental health and technology sectors. According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, significantly fewer older Black and Hispanic (as identified in the report) people used telemedicine services during the pandemic, compared to white patients.

Take a look at our latest Spotlight for more

This pivot to virtual care during the pandemic is so important, we produced, “Spotlight on Virtual Mental Health Care.” Our latest program special explores how well virtual appointments are working, and how inclusive these new technologies are, and how they will shape care into the future.

We also have more information and tips on our COVID-19 Wellness page.