Poll suggests increased need for mental health services, experts recommend CoCM
Behavioral health conditions are expected to increase and worsen as a result of COVID-19. According to a survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Association, 36% of respondents said that COVID-19 is “seriously affecting their mental health” and most (59%) said it’s having a serious impact on their daily life (1). Primary care is likely to see many of these patients.
Collaborative Care (CoCM) is a model for integrated behavioral health with a strong evidence base for treating common mental health conditions like depression and anxiety in primary care settings (2). CoCM has proven to be effective when delivered via telehealth, either in part or wholly (3).
The articles below strongly advocate for the implementation of Collaborative Care during COVID-19, and call on mental health advocates to push for integrated care in primary care settings.
- The Case for Collaborative Care During COVID-19
The Path Forward for Mental Health and Substance Use | May 2020
Other Resources
- Distress Tolerance for Providers
Recorded webinar geared toward providers on modeling anxiety and distress management.
References
- New poll: COVID-19 Impacting Mental Well-being. American Psychiatric Association. Mar 25, 2020.
View article - Archer, J. et al. (2012) Collaborative care for people with anxiety and depression. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Issue 10. Art. No.: CD006525. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD006525.pub2
- Fortney, J. et al. (2013) Practice-based versus telemedicine-based collaborative care for depression in rural federally qualified health centers: a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness trial.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3816374