A preliminary view of the use of telehealth in a child welfare agency during the pandemic

ABSTRACTIntroduction The child welfare system’s method of service delivery shifted abruptly during the pandemic to a telehealth modality. The perceived impact of this change upon service delivery is largely unknown, however. The purpose of this study was to describe how a large child welfare agency shifted to telehealth delivery, including investigating barriers and innovative strategies that were undertaken to resolve obstacles and enhance engagement and the provision of services.Method In September, 2020, direct service providers, supervisors and clinic directors at a large, Southeastern child welfare agency completed a survey that tapped into the perceived impact of telehealth on service delivery, and barriers and benefits of telehealth delivery. Twenty-six (n = 26) individuals completed the survey.Results Over half of participants reported an improvement in service delivery through the use of telehealth, and most saw it as being beneficial to both families and staff. Few participants believed that services were negatively impeded by telehealth.The main barrier to telehealth delivery was technology access and navigation (both on the part of families and staff).Discussion Telehealth was largely perceived as a facilitator to child welfare service delivery; implications and use of remote platforms are discussed.KEYWORDS: Child welfare systeCOVID-19service delivery during the pandemicperceived barriers and facilitators to telehealthImpact of telehealth on service provision Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsMary C AcriMary C. Acri, PhD is a mental health services researcher and Research Associate Professor within the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at New York University Langone Health. Dr. Acri’s research focuses on reducing mental health disparities through testing innovative interventions to facilitate detection and access to treatment as well as implementation factors that impede and facilitate the adoption and sustained utilization of evidence-based interventions in naturalistic settings.Jennifer JosephJennifer Joseph, MPA, is a Program Coordinator at New York University Langone Health within the Center for Child Welfare Practice Innovation.Glenn SaxeGlenn Saxe, MD, is a professor within the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health, Director of the Center for Child Welfare Practice Innovation, and Director of the Trauma Systems Therapy Training Center. Dr. Saxe’s research focuses on the emotional, behavioral, and developmental consequences of traumatic events in children. Dr. Saxe developed Trauma Systems Therapy (TST) with colleagues, an intervention for children with traumatic stress who live in enviornments with ongoing stressors.