May 22, 2023 By Jon Andreassi 3 min read

Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a weekly series in observance of May’s Mental Health Month.

In the early days of the pandemic, mental health professionals turned to telehealth to continue to meet with patients.

Chestnut Ridge Counseling, based in Uniontown, had already begun telehealth services on a limited basis years before, according to chief operating officer David Artis. Artis explained the agency contracted with certain providers to virtually reach rural clients and those otherwise unable to make in-person appointments.

“We did not, as a clinic, provide any telepsychiatry until March 2020. We turned it on almost within a weekend,” Artis said.

Artis added that regulations mean that they can only provide telehealth for psychiatric services to those within an hour’s drive to Chestnut Ridge. However, this still allows them to work with patients from Washington, Greene, Westmoreland, Allegheny and Somerset counties.

“The benefit is the access for patients that struggled with transportation or support within their family to get services on a regular basis,” Artis said.

After the pandemic began, Chestnut Ridge went to seeing 97% of their patients virtually within a week.

They also had more patients coming to them. Artis attributes that partially to expanded access through telehealth, but says it was mostly related to the pandemic.

“There were people that were isolated and lacking supports and needing some help. I think both of those things played into an increase of need for services,” Artis said.

When deciding whether to use telehealth or in-person services, Artis says a patient should consider their own circumstances to determine what is best for them.

In that consideration, he offered a couple of recommendations.

“Look into a service that is local and able to provide you both (telehealth and in-person care),” Artis said, adding it is good to have both options available even if telehealth is your long-term choice for care.

Artis pointed to services such as BetterHelp as being limited in these respects. BetterHelp is a smartphone app that connects its users with independent providers for virtual therapy or counseling services.

According to Artis, a local therapist will have a better understanding of issues that relate to the larger community.

Even if you mostly plan to meet with a therapist virtually, Artis said an in-person visit may be necessary at a certain point.

“I always think it’s better to reach out for help than not reach out for help,” Artis said. “What if I need to be seen for a face-to-face session? Then you’re having to change providers.”

BetterHelp’s terms and conditions caution users that the service is not meant to be used in crisis situations.

Jennifer Scott, the administrator for Washington County’s behavioral health and development services, said that while they would not direct people toward using an app like BetterHelp, they have heard from clients who have utilized it.

“It’s always better for someone to get something than nothing,” Scott said. “We’ve heard positive and negative from people … There are people that have used it in addition to the services they are already receiving.”

Artis worked as a therapist for 18 years before becoming an administrator at Chestnut Ridge. He sees telehealth as “an extremely useful and important tool,” but noted that it is just one of the tools available.

“It is an important tool for patients who could not get care otherwise, but there is nothing that is going to replicate face-to-face human interaction,” Artis said.

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