Outpatient Services have gone live with teletherapy services, offering immediate, short term, solution-focused sessions to people of all ages as well as establishing a longer term, ongoing solution for traditional clients who would benefit from this method of service delivery.
Teletherapy is a way of delivering therapy services over the internet using video conferencing. The therapist and client login to connect and have the therapy session via a computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet.
Tanager Place staffers spent months learning and exploring teletherapy, as well as weighing the advantages and difficulties of this type of service delivery. As an organization, we know we can deliver virtual services to the quality and standards of care that we value.
We have chosen a HIPAA-compliant video platform, Thera-Link, to conduct sessions, and our clinicians underwent specific training to ensure they have the knowledge and understanding to ethically provide these services. Leaders and practitioners are closely monitoring the efficacy of treatment and satisfaction of clients to ensure that they are receiving the quality of care that we believe our clients deserve.
The plan was to go live with teletherapy in April, but we decided to move up that target in order to support our community during the COVID-19 crisis. Through teletherapy, Tanager Place has been able to continue to support current clients throughout the ongoing pandemic, and is reaching out to all community members who may be struggling with this new way of life.
Once it is safe to resume in-person sessions, Tanager Place will continue to offer teletherapy services in order to reach clients we may otherwise not be able to serve. This includes:
- Individuals in rural areas — Through teletherapy we are able to serve clients where they are; the metro area is surrounded by many smaller communities, most without quality options for mental health treatment.
- People with transportation barriers — Teletherapy allows access care from anywhere with internet access. Families with difficulty securing transportation often have internet access, either through smartphones or home computers.
- People with mobility issues — Teletherapy also opens new treatment doors to those who impacted by personal mobility issues, who may be unable to visit a traditional office.
- Individuals who prefer technology solutions — Some people, such as teens and young adults, may be resistant or unsure of coming into an office for treatment. Teletherapy answers these concerns and could improve access to care among this demographic.
