An Observational Study of the Impact of COVID-19 and the Transition to Telehealth on Community Mental Health Center Providers

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has swiftly and remarkably altered community mental health service delivery and evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation. This study reports provider perspectives on the impact that COVID-19 had on their work and EBP implementation. METHODS: Providers (n = 93) completed online surveys with quantitative measures and open-ended items targeting their responses and/or reactions to COVID-19, and to the transition to providing services via telehealth. RESULTS: Perceptions of personal risk and rumination around COVID-19 were low, while telehealth was viewed positively by providers. Three major themes emerged regarding the major impacts of COVID-19 on work: 1) the altered nature of interactions between patient/client and provider, 2) changes in provider expectations regarding productivity, and 3) challenges maintaining work-life balance. In regard to the major impacts of COVID-19 on EBP implementation, three themes emerged: 1) increased difficulty delivering certain therapies via telehealth, 2) potential limitations to session confidentiality, and 3) challenge of engaging children in telehealth. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, community mental health providers continued to engage with clients and implement EBPs while navigating a number of changes related to the transition to telehealth. This study highlights the need for further work on what supports providers need to effectively engage with clients and deliver EBPs via telehealth and has implications for how telehealth is sustained or de-implemented in response to COVID-19.