Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic produced system-level changes within the criminal legal system and community-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system with impacts on recovery efforts. This study examines rural and urban clinicians’ perspectives of COVID-19 on SUD treatment deliv...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Health & Justice |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-024-00266-9 |
| _version_ | 1827301334250946560 |
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| author | Carrie B. Oser Maria Rockett Sebastian Otero Evan Batty Marisa Booty Rachel Gressick Michele Staton Hannah K. Knudsen |
| author_facet | Carrie B. Oser Maria Rockett Sebastian Otero Evan Batty Marisa Booty Rachel Gressick Michele Staton Hannah K. Knudsen |
| author_sort | Carrie B. Oser |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic produced system-level changes within the criminal legal system and community-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system with impacts on recovery efforts. This study examines rural and urban clinicians’ perspectives of COVID-19 on SUD treatment delivery for people on community supervision. Methods Virtual qualitative interviews were conducted between April and October 2020 with 25 community supervision clinicians employed by Kentucky’s Department of Corrections (DOC), who conduct assessments and facilitate community-based treatment linkages for individuals on probation or parole. Transcripts were analyzed in NVivo using directed content analysis methods. Results Clinicians were predominantly white (92%) and female (88%) with an average of over 9 years working in the SUD treatment field and 4.6 years in their current job. Four COVID-19 themes were identified by both rural and urban clinicians including: (1) telehealth increases the modes of communication, but (2) also creates paperwork and technological challenges, (3) telehealth requires more effort for inter/intra-agency collaboration, and (4) it limits client information (e.g., no urine drug screens). Two additional rural-specific themes emerged related to COVID-19: (5) increasing telehealth options removes SUD treatment transportation barriers and (6) requires flexibility with programmatic requirements for rural clients. Conclusions Findings indicate the need for community-based SUD treatment providers approved or contracted by DOC to support and train clients to access technology and improve information-sharing with community supervision officers. A positive lesson learned from COVID-19 transitions was a reduction in costly travel for rural clients, allowing for greater engagement and treatment adherence. Telehealth should continue to be included within the SUD continuum of care, especially to promote equitable services for individuals from rural areas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:21:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-749016332f5c4aeab079754ce6bed1e0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2194-7899 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:21:13Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health & Justice |
| spelling | doaj.art-749016332f5c4aeab079754ce6bed1e02024-03-31T11:12:58ZengBMCHealth & Justice2194-78992024-03-0112111110.1186/s40352-024-00266-9Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in KentuckyCarrie B. Oser0Maria Rockett1Sebastian Otero2Evan Batty3Marisa Booty4Rachel Gressick5Michele Staton6Hannah K. Knudsen7Department of Sociology, Center on Drug & Alcohol Research, Center for Health Equity Transformation, University of KentuckyDepartment of Sociology, Center on Drug & Alcohol Research, Center for Health Equity Transformation, University of KentuckyCollege of Medicine, University of KentuckyDepartment of Sociology, Center on Drug & Alcohol Research, University of KentuckyDepartment of Sociology, Center on Drug & Alcohol Research, University of KentuckyCollege of Public Health, University of KentuckyDepartment of Behavioral Science, Center on Drug & Alcohol Research, University of KentuckyDepartment of Behavioral Science, Center on Drug & Alcohol Research, University of KentuckyAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic produced system-level changes within the criminal legal system and community-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment system with impacts on recovery efforts. This study examines rural and urban clinicians’ perspectives of COVID-19 on SUD treatment delivery for people on community supervision. Methods Virtual qualitative interviews were conducted between April and October 2020 with 25 community supervision clinicians employed by Kentucky’s Department of Corrections (DOC), who conduct assessments and facilitate community-based treatment linkages for individuals on probation or parole. Transcripts were analyzed in NVivo using directed content analysis methods. Results Clinicians were predominantly white (92%) and female (88%) with an average of over 9 years working in the SUD treatment field and 4.6 years in their current job. Four COVID-19 themes were identified by both rural and urban clinicians including: (1) telehealth increases the modes of communication, but (2) also creates paperwork and technological challenges, (3) telehealth requires more effort for inter/intra-agency collaboration, and (4) it limits client information (e.g., no urine drug screens). Two additional rural-specific themes emerged related to COVID-19: (5) increasing telehealth options removes SUD treatment transportation barriers and (6) requires flexibility with programmatic requirements for rural clients. Conclusions Findings indicate the need for community-based SUD treatment providers approved or contracted by DOC to support and train clients to access technology and improve information-sharing with community supervision officers. A positive lesson learned from COVID-19 transitions was a reduction in costly travel for rural clients, allowing for greater engagement and treatment adherence. Telehealth should continue to be included within the SUD continuum of care, especially to promote equitable services for individuals from rural areas.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-024-00266-9COVID-19ClinicianSubstance use disorder treatmentRuralUrbanPeople on community supervision |
| spellingShingle | Carrie B. Oser Maria Rockett Sebastian Otero Evan Batty Marisa Booty Rachel Gressick Michele Staton Hannah K. Knudsen Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky Health & Justice COVID-19 Clinician Substance use disorder treatment Rural Urban People on community supervision |
| title | Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky |
| title_full | Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky |
| title_fullStr | Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky |
| title_short | Rural and urban clinician views on COVID-19’s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in Kentucky |
| title_sort | rural and urban clinician views on covid 19 s impact on substance use treatment for individuals on community supervision in kentucky |
| topic | COVID-19 Clinician Substance use disorder treatment Rural Urban People on community supervision |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-024-00266-9 |
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