YOUR PALM BEACH COMMUNITY 7
Florida Catholic April 3-9, 2020
CECILIA PADILLA
of the Florida Catholic staff
PALM BEACH GARDENS The outbreak of coronavirus has left many programs and ministries in the Diocese of Palm Beach in a state of flux. With the Center for Disease Control's infection preventions directing individuals to implement social distancing or self-quarantine, those relying on support from the community might find themselves cut off from the outside world. For Nicole Looney, director of Clinical Services for the Counsel- ing Program of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach, hu- man connection is not limited to face-to-face interaction. "A coun- selor's job is to meet their clients where they are. In times like these, this means connecting via virtual solutions," said Looney. At the time Looney spoke with the Florida Catholic , she had spent the last 72-hours convert- ing Catholic Charities of the Palm Beach's Counseling Program into a 100% virtual "tele-health" service. Clients receiving mental health counseling can now meet with their counselor through an online portal in the comfort, and safety, of their own homes. This is a really anxious time for a lot of people, not just our current clients," Looney said. "Our live video sessions enable those isolated in their homes to reach out and talk to someone. This is vital in providing continued care for mental health." Looney said that all of the Counseling Program's current clients were successfully transitioned to virtual sessions. A challenge she faced in implement ing tele-healt h services was training the program's counselors in video call counseling, especially in terms of preserving client confidentiality during a session. Counselors facilitate sessions from the privacy of the office, but clients at home with their families might not be able to find a quiet place to have their session," she said. "Dynamics also change. We can't always read a person the same way online as in person. Body language can be hard to read, or internet connection can cut out, forcing us to ask a person to repeat themselves. All that plays into how well a video session serves a client." With the help of the American Psychology Association and PESI, a non-profit organization that provides mental health resources, Looney secured free counselor training and teaching materials. Overall, our counselors took to the new program very well. We launched the first sessions on March 19, which were very
Catholic Charities offers 'tele-health'
To learn more about the Counseling Program's tele- health services, call 1-844- 848-6777, email Counseling@ CCDPB.org or visit ccdpb. org. Services are provided in both English and Spanish and offered on a sliding fee scale through insurance and employee assistance programs.
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successful." Looney also explained that many insurance providers are making allowances for tele- health services due to the current coronavirus outbreak. Plus, the counseling program's tele-health services are certified through Florida, making these virtual counseling sessions available to anyone in the state. The best thing about this program is that it's not just limited to our diocese," she said. "Anyone in the state can register for video counseling through us." Currently, the counseling program is using Doxy.me, a tele- medicine provider, which has experienced a tremendous influx of online registrations. In a recent Facebook post, Doxy.me shared, Typically 2,000-3,000 providers sign up with Doxy.me per month. Today, 2,500 providers signed up per hour. Tripled our server capacity and are ready for more tomorrow." This is just a glimpse of the important role tele-health plays in the mental health of the community as the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. Depression and anxiety are heightened by the current coronavirus stressor," Looney said. Add isolation to that and it can be detrimental to those undergoing mental health counseling. The more support available, the better we can manage anxiety during this overwhelming time."
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