校园远程健康咨询服务的实施

Since the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the United States earlier this year, 专家报告了远程医疗的激增, 或虚拟, 咨询服务, 与 83%的个体 expected to utilize telehealth counseling even after the pandemic resolves. Counselors at 韦德体育app官网 have seen the effects of offering a virtual counseling option firsthand and claim it could be groundbreaking in their approach to their practice.

“远程医疗……使我们能够面对面交流, 透过屏幕, 当我们不能见面的时候,奥利维亚·纳什说。, coordinator for the School of 教育及公共服务 (SEHS) Counseling Center. “远程医疗, 我们能够接触到更多的人, as they no longer have the barrier of transportation or long commute to campus limiting their participation.”

据托德·莱伯特说, 心理咨询系副教授兼系主任, telehealth counseling has become essential in the wake of COVID-19.

“The airborne pandemic of COVID-19 meant that traditional face-to-face counseling could not be conducted safely and yet, 由于大流行病，对咨询的需求增加了,他说. “安全提供咨询的能力, 通过在线交流, meant that 咨询服务 and counseling training could resume, 能复苏吗.”

尽管远程医疗方案已被证明是方便的, 它的技术费用使它难以提供. 然而, 心理咨询部门可以利用10美元,000 donation from alumna Michelle Robinson and former Board of Trustee member Ron Robinson to make these resources feasible.

The Robinsons’ gift was intended to be dispersed across the department over the next four years, 与1美元,第一年是1000美元，第一年是3美元,000剩下的三个. 然而, 在得知公开大学需要远程医疗咨询后, they reallocated the funds to provide a larger sum of money 与in the first year.

“The mental health field has always been underfunded,” Michelle Robinson said. “More people are in need of mental health services than ever before and there is a shortage of counselors to provide the services communities need.”

除了财务费用, 部门官员不得不适应新的虚拟格式, taking into consideration the technological capabilities and any potential ethical or legal concerns. Although Leibert said the learning curve was “rugged and steep, 有很多坑,“该部门对最终结果感到满意.

随着远程医疗资源在校园的实施, student counselors now have the opportunity to continue the practical application of their practice through their work 与 clients.

“如果我们没有转向远程医疗, we would’ve had to put our practicum students on hold indefinitely, as we are not able to social distance in the Counseling Center,纳什说. “Wearing face masks also limits some important parts of counseling, 哪些来自非语言交流.”

The Department of Counseling has even considered integrating telehealth into the counseling practicum permanently to ensure future counselors are prepared for any situation.

The SEHS咨询中心 has also been able to increase the number of clients it assists on a daily basis through the addition of a virtual option.

“Receiving the resources to adopt telehealth technology created a sort of rippling empowerment, 从SEHS咨询中心开始, 然后推向学生辅导员和客户,莱伯特说. “现在, SEHS CC将能够接触到更多的客户, 更大的多样性, 更有一致性, as clients can receive counseling regardless of the roadblocks of illness or literal transportation hindrances.”

SEHS咨询中心是一项免费服务, and its telehealth services are accessible to any Michigan resident over the age of 7 与 internet access, 哪些对许多客户有利, 据纳什说. The success of SEHS咨询中心’s telehealth resources also allowed for OU’s 成人职业咨询中心 成功地转移到一个完全虚拟的平台.

“Telehealth services provide connection to important services to individuals who either cannot access in-person services or it may be detrimental to their health to engage in face-to-face services,”她说。. “It allows us to continue to meet the behavioral health needs of persons in the community, 在整个校园, who otherwise would not be able to afford or access mental health services. 这在这个时候是至关重要的, as anxiety has increased 与 all the uncertainties that the world currently holds.”

根据 世界卫生组织, over 60% of countries reported disruptions to mental health services for vulnerable individuals in the wake of the pandemic. 此外, 国家卫生委员会 reported a 370% increase in per day anxiety screenings since the coronavirus impacted the United States in January.

“I was not aware of the impact [telehealth counseling] has until the pandemic swept our country,罗宾逊说. “People were isolated and telehealth opened opportunities to reach out to people in their homes in a safe and caring way to help them cope 与 the rapid changes they were experiencing. 它已经提供了很多年, 直到现在才被接受, 这将是未来心理咨询的重要组成部分.”

Telehealth sessions have been in place since the second week of June at the SEHS咨询中心 and are expected to continue into the foreseeable future.

For additional information on the SEHS咨询中心, visit 奥克兰.edu/counseling/sehs-cc.