If you’re dealing with a behavioral health challenge and worried about finding the right care, you’re not alone. Many people develop mental health challenges or behavioral patterns they wish to break at some point in their lives. Fortunately, you have plenty of care options today, including some options that only became available in recent decades.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), over 23% of U.S. adults have experienced at least one mental illness within the past year. To meet patients’ needs, U.S. providers have worked to make behavioral healthcare more accessible in recent years, in part by offering telehealth options.
The Rise of Telehealth in Behavioral Health Services
Telehealth includes any kind of healthcare service that uses a phone, video call, or another form of telecommunications. For patients, it often involves scheduling a call with your doctor or provider rather than coming to an in-person appointment.
Telehealth became very popular during the pandemic, but it’s been around since well before 2020. Some of the first instances of telehealth date back to the early 1900s, when people transmitted heart rhythms over the telephone. However, telehealth as we know it today didn’t become popular until recent decades.
Virtual healthcare visits sharply grew in popularity in the 2010s. Medicare began to pay for virtual check-ins in 2019. After pandemic stay-at-home orders hit, health providers rapidly ramped up telehealth services so they could continue to provide safe care.
Now that we’re in the second half of the 2020s, it’s clear that telehealth is here to stay, especially in behavioral health. According to the American Hospital Association, 86.9% of hospitals currently offer telehealth services. Epic research shows that telehealth utilization has stabilized, and mental health departments continue to see a greater proportion of their patients through telehealth than any other specialty.
Does Telehealth Make Sense For You?
Telehealth is a great option for many behavioral health patients. Since you don’t have to travel to a provider’s office, it likely fits better into your life and schedule than in-person appointments. It’s often a game-changer for people in rural areas far from healthcare services. Many telehealth providers also offer flexible scheduling options that make it easier for patients to attend sessions.
Some people also feel more comfortable receiving care in their own homes. You might find it easier to open up to your provider in a familiar home environment.
However, telehealth isn’t right for everyone. Some services can only be delivered in person, such as chemical dependency treatment. Even with services that are often offered as telehealth, you might still prefer in-person visits if you have unreliable internet services or aren’t tech-savvy. Many providers still offer in-person behavioral healthcare, so there’s no pressure to choose telehealth if you don’t want it.
How to Access Telehealth Behavioral Health Services in Washington State
In Washington state, there are a variety of resources available to help you access behavioral health services, including telehealth.
If you are in a life-safety emergency, call 911. If you are in a mental health crisis, call the national crisis hotline at 988. Your call will be free. There are several other free, confidential phone numbers you can call for emergency and non-emergency mental health services in our state.
In Washington state, all health insurance providers (including Apple Health/Medicaid) are required to cover services delivered by telemedicine if they are medically necessary, also covered in-person, and considered essential health benefits. Health insurers must cover services for mental health and substance abuse disorders in the same way they do for medical and surgical services.
Many people get referrals for behavioral healthcare services from their regular doctor or primary care provider. If you’re not sure what you need, your doctor can refer you to a specialist and may be able to offer an initial screening.
At Sunrise Services, we provide a variety of behavioral health services throughout Snohomish, Skagit, Island, and Whatcom counties. Some of our caring therapists and clinicians offer telehealth behavioral healthcare services. We can help you with therapy sessions, medication management, case management, and more.
Partner with Sunrise Services today for assistance with telehealth or other behavioral health needs.
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