How the Pandemic Influenced Mental Health Treatment Modalities
Over the last eleven months, COVID has had a profound impact on consumer behavior, from dining preferences to business meetings to CPG — and mental health treatment is no exception.
CuraLinc Healthcare offers a variety of modalities that allow participants to access care and support based on their personal preference. An analysis of 2020 utilization data revealed that the pandemic had a significant — and, likely, long-lasting — impact on modality choice.
Telebehavioral (video) counseling, at the peak of pandemic-driven limitations (from mid-March through the end of May) was the primary modality for care, with 56% of participants choosing to receive support through that channel.
Utilization of digital care avenues such as Text Therapy and Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (dCBT) increased three-fold after the CDC categorized COVID as a pandemic in mid-March.
In-person counseling, while still a preferred treatment modality, only represented 40% of new cases between June 1 and December 31 — down from 79% pre-pandemic.
“COVID has really changed the way people access mental health care and support,” said David Pawlowski, LCPC, CEAP, CuraLinc’s Senior Vice President of Operations. “Ultimately, our feeling is that a good portion of employees who tried video counseling or text therapy for the first time over the last eleven months will see it as a worthwhile treatment avenue going forward, and that face-to-face counseling, while still the preferred channel for most employees, probably won't represent four out of every five cases again.”
By offering a variety of homegrown and integrated treatment modalities, CuraLinc’s programs provide participants with the highest level of flexibility and choice whenever they’re in need of mental health support. To learn more about the role technology plays in CuraLinc’s employee, member and student assistance programs, visit curalinc.com/technology or contact your CuraLinc representative.