Background

Current literature suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to an increase in behavioral health needs, especially among older adults, communities of color, and other select populations. To increase access to care during the pandemic, state and federal lawmakers approved policy changes to make telebehavioral health services more readily available to clients and provider. While telebehavioral health services can improve access to care for many, some groups, like individuals in rural areas, may still lack access to telebehavioral health services. The circumstances of the pandemic may have led to greater adoption of telebehavioral health services, yet it remains unclear how telebehavioral health is being used in areas that may need these services the most.

 

This study aims to clarify where telebehavioral health services are being used during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether this has been influenced by rurality, provider shortages, and client’s insurance status or racial identity.

Findings

States included in the data had low rates of MH/substance use disorder (SUD) procedures as a proportion of all procedures, with multiple states consistently staying under 10% of all procedures. Arizona was the only state where MH/SUD procedures were regularly over 50% of all procedures during the months March to September. Included states also had low rates of MH/SUD as a proportion of all diagnoses with multiple states staying consistently below 30% of all diagnoses. Arizona was the only state where MH/SUD diagnoses were regularly over 60% of all diagnoses during March to September.

 

In addition, states had low rates of MH/SUD procedures per county resident populations, with multiple states consistently staying under .003 procedures per county resident. Arizona was the only state where MH/SUD procedures per resident was regularly over .003 during March to September. States also had low rates of MH/SUD diagnoses per county resident population, with multiple states consistently staying under .003 procedures per county resident. Arizona, again, was the only state where MH/SUD diagnoses per resident were regularly over .004 during March to September. States ranged from New York at .0002 in March to Arizona at .009 in April.

Publications

Abstract

Brief

Full Report

Researchers

Victoria Schoebel, MPH
Jessica Buche, MPH, MA
Isabella Ginsberg
Jason Goldwater, MA, MPA (Laurel Health Advisors)
Yael Harris, PhD, MHS (Laurel Health Advisors)
Nebi Girma, MPH
Kyle Grazier, DrPH, MPH, MS

Partnerships