Mental Health Service Provision During COVID-19: Results of the Third Survey of Licensed Psychologists

Morgan T. Sammons, Daniel M. Elchert, & Jana N. Martin

Citation

Sammons, M.T., Elchert, D.M., & Martin, J.N. (2021). Mental health service provision during COVID-19: results of the third survey of licensed psychologists. Journal of Health Service Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42843-021-00044-3

Abstract

A third survey of the practice of licensed psychologists during the pandemic conducted in June 2021 revealed that the rapid adoption of telepsychological service provision has continued approximately 15 months after a national public health emergency was declared. Most respondents intend to make telepsychology a permanent component of their practice going forward. Other notable findings from our survey revealed that after an initial decline in caseload reported in the early days of the pandemic, the majority of psychologists surveyed now report an increase in caseload, often necessitating the establishment of a waitlist. Respondents reported that their patients/clients are more accepting of telepsychology than in our previous survey. That said, a significant minority of psychologists expressed concerns that this technology will negatively affect their future practice. Results also indicated that psychologists are encountering greater symptom acuity among their patients associated with the pandemic, including an increase in reports of suicidal thinking or behavior.

Access continuing education course on CE.NationalRegister.org

References

Bray, M. J. C., Daneshvari, N. O., Radhakrishnan, I., Cubbage, J., Eagle, M., Southall, P., & Nestadt, P. S. (2021). Racial differences in statewide suicide mortality trends in Maryland during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(4), 444-447. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.3938

Bryant-Genevier, J., Rao, C. Y., Lopes-Cardozo, B., Kone, L., Rose, C., et al. (2021). Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Suicidal Ideation Among State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Public Health Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, March–April 2021. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Jun 25 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7026e1.htm?s_cid=mm7026e1_w

National Center for Health Statistics. (2021). Telemedicine Use, Household Pulse Survey. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/telemedicine-use.htm

Preti, E., Di Mattei, V., Perego,^, G, Ferrari, F. Mazetti, M., et al. (2020). The Psychological Impact of Epidemic and Pandemic Outbreaks on Healthcare Workers: Rapid Review of the Evidence. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2020; 22(8): 43. Published online 2020 Jul 10. doi: 10.1007/s11920-020-01166-z

Pierce, B. S., Perrin, P. B., & McDonald, S. D. (2020). Demographic, organizational, and clinical practice predictors of U.S. psychologists’ use of telepsychology. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 51, 184-193. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/pro0000267

Pierce, B. S., Perrin, P. B., Tyler, C. M., McKee, G. B., & Watson, J. D. (2021). The COVID-19 telepsychology revolution: A national study of pandemic-based changes in U.S. mental health care delivery. American Psychologist, 76, 14-25. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/amp0000722

Sammons, M. T., VandenBos, G.R., Martin, J.N., & Elchert, D.M. (2020a). Psychological Practice at Six Months of COVID-19: A Follow-Up to the First National Survey of Psychologists During the Pandemic. Journal of Health Service Psychology, 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42843-020-00024-z

Sammons, M.T., VandenBos, G.R., & Martin, J.N. (2020b). Psychological Practice and the COVID-19 Crisis: A Rapid Response Survey. Journal of Health Service Psychology, 46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42843-020-00013-2

Terlizzi E.P. & Schiller J.S. (2021). Estimates of mental health symptomatology, by month of interview: United States, 2019. National Center for Health Statistics. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhis/mental-health-monthly-508.pdf

U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). Household Pulse Survey, Anxiety and Depression. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/mental-health.htm

Volk, J., Palanker, D., O’Brien, M, & Goe, C. L. (2021). States’ actions to expand telemedicine access during COVID-19 and future policy considerations (Commonwealth Fund, June 2021). https://doi.org/10.26099/r95z-bs17.