Breaking Down Barriers: Valley Health Improves Access to Behavioral Health Services in Emergency Departments

Having access to expert mental health services is a critical component of a person’s overall health. Yet many people living with mental illness face barriers, from access to appropriate care to the fear of experiencing prejudice or discrimination.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, it is estimated that one in five American adults is living with mental illness. “All too often, by the time a person experiencing a mental health issue arrives in our Emergency Department (ED), they are already at a crisis point,” explains Chris Parsons, clinical manager of the Emergency Department at War Memorial Hospital. “And when you live in a rural community like we do, it can be extremely challenging to provide patients with immediate access to highly trained psychiatric professionals.”

Providing quality behavioral health care when it is needed most is why Valley Health has partnered with Array Behavioral Care to provide on-demand telepsychiatry services in all six of its EDs. “Unfortunately, there aren’t enough psychiatric professionals to meet the growing demand, particularly in an emergency and especially in rural communities, which is why telepsychiatry is so invaluable,” says Karen Dorr, senior director of Behavioral Health Services at Valley Health. “We believe it is important to offer our patients face-to-face contact with a psychiatric professional 24/7.”

As Parsons explains, when a patient comes into the ED, the team follows behavioral health protocols to determine if the patient is in need of a more in-depth psychiatric assessment. In those instances, the team contacts Array through a mobile device. The patient and the Array team, which consists of psychiatrists, therapists and mental health crisis coordinators throughout the U.S., are then able to see and speak directly with each other. Following the assessment, Array works with the ED care team to map out the best treatment plan, which can include transferring to an inpatient facility or referral to an outpatient program and other community resources.

“Using telepsychiatry is another example of how Valley Health is using innovation and technology to fill a critical need,” says Dorr. “In doing so, we’re able to decrease or eliminate unnecessary roadblocks and help expedite diagnosis and appropriate treatment for some of our most vulnerable patients.”