A state-wide survey conducted by The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers has found there are significant benefits to offering youth mental health treatment via telehealth services.
The Mind the Distance report surveyed young people, carers and mental health professionals after the first COVID lockdown in WA, in mid-2020.
The report found that the switch to digital or telehealth services was beneficial for some young people receiving mental health treatment, while others missed the opportunity to communicate with someone face-to-face.
More than 80 per cent (80.6%) of young people aged 14-25 who took part in the survey said they found telehealth “somewhat or very helpful” during 2020 and almost 60 per cent (58.4%) of parents said they thought telehealth benefited their child.
Co-Head of Youth Mental Health at The Kids and lead author of the report, Dr Yael Perry, said the findings support growing calls for telehealth services to be an ongoing feature in mental health care.
“Going forward, having blended care options that better cater to the needs of the individual would be hugely beneficial,” she said.
“Funding for telehealth services have been extended under Medicare since the pandemic began but this report shows that offering this mode of service delivery on a permanent basis could really help some young people struggling with poor mental health.”
Factors that patients and parents identified as barriers to using telehealth included poor internet connections, feeling less comfortable about expressing emotions via a screen or phone and finding it hard to locate a private space at home where they could talk comfortably.
Some of the positives of telehealth identified in the survey were that it was convenient, less intimidating and allowed the young person to be in their own environment.
The study found young people with an existing relationship with their clinician found the transition to telehealth easier.
Fifty per cent of clinicians surveyed said they thought telehealth was beneficial for both new and existing patients, while an additional 34.9 per cent thought it was helpful for existing clients. Clinicians also reported that they felt telehealth was particularly suited to young people with less complex mental health presentations, those in regional or remote locations and older adolescents or young adults. In contrast, clinicians felt less confident working with young people with ADHD or on the autism spectrum, those with chaotic home environments or those at risk of suicide.
Dr Perry said the findings were mixed, but the study shows that telehealth is an important option for some young people, and should be part of a flexible service delivery model that can be tailored to individual needs.
“Young people have unique needs and preferences when it comes to accessing mental health services. The expansion of telehealth service delivery due to COVID-19 has highlighted the value of this approach, and created a valuable opportunity to extend its reach and scope, so that more young people can access the care they need.”
The full Mind the Distance report can be read