Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C-OVID-19: adaptations for fly-in and fly-out mental health providers during COVID-19

• Published in: International Journal of Circumpolar Health
• Main Authors: Roberts, Candace, Darroch, Francine, Giles, Audrey, van Bruggen, Rianne
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis 2021
• Subjects: Original Research Article; Circumpolar Health; inuit
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8259817/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34210240; https://doi.org/10.1080/22423982.2021.1935133

Mental health providers have rapidly pivoted their in-person practices to teletherapy and telehealth interventions to address the increased demand for mental health services during the COVID-19 crisis. The change to service delivery has emphasised challenges for mental health service providers, particularly in regions that rely on fly-in and fly-out (FIFO) mental health service providers who are no longer able to travel to their places of work. In this qualitative study, we examined the impact of COVID-19 on the delivery of mental health services in Inuit Nunangat. Using a participatory action research methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with eight FIFO mental health service providers to understand their experiences and implement strategies to effectively deliver mental health services in a pandemic. We identified three themes through thematic analysis: 1) Service providers identify the challenges in adapting their practices to meet individual and community needs; 2) Service providers recognise the opportunities for enhancements to service delivery; 3) Service providers identify telemental health services as a potentially effective adjunct to in-person sessions. The findings support reconceptualising post-pandemic mental health service delivery to include both face-to-face and telemental health services.