Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions
Abstract Background To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-funded Technology Transfer Centers had to rapidly adapt to ensure that the behavioral health workforce had continuous access to remote training and technical assistance (TTA). Altho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-07-01
|
| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03598-y |
| _version_ | 1818014913515225088 |
|---|---|
| author | Kristen G. Powell Michael J. Chaple Maxine Henry Cory Morton Sara J. Becker Heather J. Gotham Holly N. Hagle Ashley C. Helle Laurie J. Krom Rosemarie Martin Todd D. Molfenter Nancy Roget Beth A. Rutkowski Isa I. Velez-Echevarria Ruth Yanez Cross-Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Workgroup on Virtual Learning |
| author_facet | Kristen G. Powell Michael J. Chaple Maxine Henry Cory Morton Sara J. Becker Heather J. Gotham Holly N. Hagle Ashley C. Helle Laurie J. Krom Rosemarie Martin Todd D. Molfenter Nancy Roget Beth A. Rutkowski Isa I. Velez-Echevarria Ruth Yanez Cross-Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Workgroup on Virtual Learning |
| author_sort | Kristen G. Powell |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-funded Technology Transfer Centers had to rapidly adapt to ensure that the behavioral health workforce had continuous access to remote training and technical assistance (TTA). Although the Technology Transfer Centers have historically relied partially upon virtual methods for delivering TTA, the shift to a strictly virtual approach necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions has raised new questions for how to best proceed with services when social distancing guidelines are relaxed. The objective of this exploratory paper was to compare TTA provision in the six-month period prior to (9/1/19 thru 2/28/20) and during (4/1/20 thru 9/30/20) early COVID-19 restrictions to determine the extent to which the shift to virtual service provision impacted the behavioral health and medical workforce. Specifically, we examined participants’ access to TTA, geographic reach of TTA, and workforce perceptions of satisfaction and utility with TTA provision. Method Participant and event-level data were analyzed to compare the following metrics before and during the COVID pandemic: number of events and attendees; participant demographics; zip codes reached; coverage of rural, suburban, and urban areas; and perceptions of satisfaction with and utility of training. Results Findings showed a 40% increase in the number of events delivered (p < .001) and a 270% increase in the number of attendees (p < .001) during the COVID period when TTCs relied exclusively on virtual delivery. Geospatial analyses linking zip codes to a schematic of rural, suburban, and urban classifications throughout the United States revealed significant increases in the number of zip codes reached during the COVID time period. Satisfaction levels were comparable before and during the pandemic. Conclusions Findings show that expanded access to TTA services via virtual formats resulted in reach to more diverse attendees and regions, and did not come at the expense of satisfaction. Results suggest that virtual TTA should continue to be an important component of TTA offerings post-pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:51:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-46f3fe4a1d024eecba5031bd31fc6a30 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T06:51:22Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-46f3fe4a1d024eecba5031bd31fc6a302022-12-22T02:07:02ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202022-07-0122111010.1186/s12909-022-03598-yVirtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictionsKristen G. Powell0Michael J. Chaple1Maxine Henry2Cory Morton3Sara J. Becker4Heather J. Gotham5Holly N. Hagle6Ashley C. Helle7Laurie J. Krom8Rosemarie Martin9Todd D. Molfenter10Nancy Roget11Beth A. Rutkowski12Isa I. Velez-Echevarria13Ruth Yanez14Cross-Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Workgroup on Virtual LearningRutgers University School of Social WorkNew York State Psychiatric InstituteNational Latino Behavioral Health AssociationRutgers University School of Social WorkBrown University School of Public HealthStanford University School of MedicineUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing and Health StudiesDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of MissouriUniversity of Missouri-Kansas City School of Nursing and Health StudiesBrown University School of Public HealthUniversity of Wisconsin-MadisonUniversity of Nevada, RenoUCLA Integrated Substance Abuse ProgramsUniversidad Central del CaribeNational Latino Behavioral Health AssociationAbstract Background To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-funded Technology Transfer Centers had to rapidly adapt to ensure that the behavioral health workforce had continuous access to remote training and technical assistance (TTA). Although the Technology Transfer Centers have historically relied partially upon virtual methods for delivering TTA, the shift to a strictly virtual approach necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions has raised new questions for how to best proceed with services when social distancing guidelines are relaxed. The objective of this exploratory paper was to compare TTA provision in the six-month period prior to (9/1/19 thru 2/28/20) and during (4/1/20 thru 9/30/20) early COVID-19 restrictions to determine the extent to which the shift to virtual service provision impacted the behavioral health and medical workforce. Specifically, we examined participants’ access to TTA, geographic reach of TTA, and workforce perceptions of satisfaction and utility with TTA provision. Method Participant and event-level data were analyzed to compare the following metrics before and during the COVID pandemic: number of events and attendees; participant demographics; zip codes reached; coverage of rural, suburban, and urban areas; and perceptions of satisfaction with and utility of training. Results Findings showed a 40% increase in the number of events delivered (p < .001) and a 270% increase in the number of attendees (p < .001) during the COVID period when TTCs relied exclusively on virtual delivery. Geospatial analyses linking zip codes to a schematic of rural, suburban, and urban classifications throughout the United States revealed significant increases in the number of zip codes reached during the COVID time period. Satisfaction levels were comparable before and during the pandemic. Conclusions Findings show that expanded access to TTA services via virtual formats resulted in reach to more diverse attendees and regions, and did not come at the expense of satisfaction. Results suggest that virtual TTA should continue to be an important component of TTA offerings post-pandemic.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03598-yCOVID-19Behavioral healthTrainingWorkforce development |
| spellingShingle | Kristen G. Powell Michael J. Chaple Maxine Henry Cory Morton Sara J. Becker Heather J. Gotham Holly N. Hagle Ashley C. Helle Laurie J. Krom Rosemarie Martin Todd D. Molfenter Nancy Roget Beth A. Rutkowski Isa I. Velez-Echevarria Ruth Yanez Cross-Technology Transfer Center (TTC) Workgroup on Virtual Learning Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions BMC Medical Education COVID-19 Behavioral health Training Workforce development |
| title | Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions |
| title_full | Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions |
| title_fullStr | Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions |
| title_short | Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions |
| title_sort | virtual training and technical assistance a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions |
| topic | COVID-19 Behavioral health Training Workforce development |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03598-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kristengpowell virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT michaeljchaple virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT maxinehenry virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT corymorton virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT sarajbecker virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT heatherjgotham virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT hollynhagle virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT ashleychelle virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT lauriejkrom virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT rosemariemartin virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT todddmolfenter virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT nancyroget virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT betharutkowski virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT isaivelezechevarria virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT ruthyanez virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions AT crosstechnologytransfercenterttcworkgrouponvirtuallearning virtualtrainingandtechnicalassistanceashiftinbehavioralhealthworkforceaccessandperceptionsofservicesduringemergencyrestrictions |