NJAMHAA News - October 2021

October 2021 4 For adults receiving SU treatment from CC-Trenton, “the increased access is amazing,” according to Kristofor. For example, newmothers can receive the immediate support they need even though they cannot go to the agency. Telehealth has also been proven to be valuable for individuals who test positive for COVID or have other reasons why they are not able to receive services at the facilities. No- shows have been reduced by an estimated 30% for both individual and group telehealth sessions. “We can call people and wait for them to log on. It removes excuses,” Kristofor said. In addition, individuals with SU who experience relapses often feel guilt and shame and, therefore, may not want to face their counselors, according to Kristofor. “Telehealth helps reduce these feelings and they open up more. This is also true for people who experience mental health trauma. Face-to-face sharing is a huge vulnerability and can be overwhelming. These feelings are reduced when clients are in the comfort of their homes,” she explained. Telehealth also eliminated the previous barriers of lacking transportation or child care. However, some clients prefer in-person services, which CC-Trenton has continued to provide throughout the pandemic. “Many prefer to get out of their home environments and some can’t do telehealth at home due to limited space and lack of privacy,” Kristofor noted. Integrated Physical and Behavioral Health Care Since before the pandemic, CC-Trenton has been using telehealth to provide physical health care. Virtual ExamRoom (VER) “is the fundamental technology for telehealth that connects primary care, behavioral healthcare and other providers,” explained Lisa Merritt, DNP, RN, PHNA, NE-BC, Nurse Executive, Director of Medical & Nursing Services. She has observed significant decreases in no-show rates at the 10 sites where VER is used; these sites include behavioral health and SU treatment programs, as well as food pantries. “Engagement has increased because of technology overall. It makes treating clients easier. VER allows us to establish a therapeutic relationship with each client and build trust,” Merritt added. “We’re looking to expand VER to more community partner sites. It will help with the referral process and assist clients who don’t want to go to multiple providers.” VER technology is also used to support contact tracing efforts and connect individuals to healthcare services to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according to Loughery. This is part of the Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases project, a Department of Health-funded statewide initiative. Programs Addressing Trauma In CC-Trenton’s Children and Family Growth Programs, telehealth was first used during the pandemic, according to Melissa Boege, MS, LPC, NCC, ProgramDirector, Family Growth Program of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. These programs are also located in Mercer and Burlington Counties. “With telehealth, we have seen much more frequent attendance. The number of sessions per quarter increased substantially compared to prior to the pandemic because there is no longer a transportation barrier. Also, telehealth ensures safety and confidentiality as much as possible,” Boege stated. “Children open up more. They’re happy to welcome us into their space, to show us a part of their life we didn’t see before,” Boege added. Boege noted that individuals participating in the Family Growth Program have experienced trauma from neglect and abuse. Much of the counseling, which includes the evidence-based practice of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, has been provided through telehealth during the pandemic. Overall, Boege has a sense of clients’ high level of satisfaction with telehealth, resulting from reduction of symptoms and the achievement—and, in many cases, exceeding—of treatment goals. “Many clients have said that telehealth is helpful because it saves time and money, and makes services easier to access,” Boege added. Mary Pettrow, CSW, Service Area Director, Children and Family Services, shared a very different example of technology use: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in CC-Trenton’s Trauma, Recovery, Education and Empowerment program at Providence House, the agency’s program for victims of domestic violence. “EMDR is a phased, focused approach to treating trauma and other symptoms by reconnecting the client in a safe and measured way to the images, self-thoughts, emotions, and body sensations associated with the trauma. It essentially rewires the brain to regard the trauma differently,” as described in a blog recently posted by CC-Trenton staff. “We purchased a light bar and adaptive devices to continue providing this service throughout the COVID pandemic while masking and maintaining social distance in our offices,” Pettrow explained. Providers Use Technology to Be [continued from page 1] October 2021