Introduction
To ensure health culture is upheld, improved, and the change lasted, policies that are evidence-based have to be harnessed. Such policies should include equality in access to healthcare, quality, and affordable healthcare is provided all leading to positive and reduced healthcare. Use of telecommunications in the provision of mental health services has been advocated for to enable the healthcare providers reach patients living in remote and far-distanced areas. The Covid-19 pandemic, however, brought out unforeseen barriers in the provision of equitable and inclusive mental health services. This paper, therefore, will explore how the Covid-19 emphasized the need to have equitable telemental health services and what recommendations can be made. It will highlight the relationship between the telemental health policy and APN practice and analyze the strengths, weaknesses, advantages, and disadvantages of the policy.
Primary Issue and its Summary
The onset of Covid-19 pandemic brought about unprecedented measures that saw regulations that barred people from moving about being put in place. During this pandemic period, there has been a public mental health and wellness crisis with people of Asian, African-American, Latino, and other multi-racial communities contributing higher cases of mental health conditions (Daniel, 2022). This has warranted provision of telemental health services to patients at home with the services increasing by 154% in the last three years (Daniel, 2022). Despite the initiative to expand telehealth services to all persons irrespective of their sexuality and ethnicity, structural and interpersonal racism has been persistent (Daniel, 2022). Expansion of access to telehealth services, however, does not solve the root problem of equitability and inclusivity. According to Daniel (2022), to different ways to improve the initiative should be advocated for. Among the avenues for improving telemental health services include providing training programs to the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities and distributing technology such as tablets to ensure these communities have access to telehealth services (Daniel, 2022).
Relations of Issue to APN Practice
APN practice is an advanced general nurse who has the opportunity to work in a clinical healthcare center. Advanced Practice Nurses are usually certified to attend a patient without being supervised by a medical doctor (Miranda Neto et al., 2018). The Advanced Practice Nurses can order a diagnostic test for a patient, make patient’s diagnosis, and give out medical decisions. In APN practice, the nurses can work in different clinical settings including mental health centers. They are mandated with providing equitable health services to all patients irrespective of their race or different affiliations (Miranda Neto et al., 2018). Advanced Practice Nurses being referred as advanced practice practitioners, have the responsibility of executing telemental health services policies in a clinical setup to extend achievement of universal healthcare.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Advantages, and/or Disadvantages of the Issue
Regarding the strengths and advantages of the issue, clear highlights on how Covid-19 pandemic heighted the barrier in the provision of telemental health services among the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) has been made. The issue has also provided measures to mitigate inequality and expand access to telehealth services. On the weaknesses and disadvantages, the issue does not explain into details the allegation made on non-BIPOC mental health care providers discriminating the BIPOC community. It also does not consider other factors such as low income, technology, and demographic factors that can hinder the members of the LGBTQIA and the BIPOC from enrolling for Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program.
Solutions/Recommendations for Issue
To ensure equality and inclusivity of all persons in accessing of telemental health services, the federal government is mandated with expanding and improving the accessibility of the services. The government can do so by ensuring that legislation policies advocating for equitable and accessible are being implemented and executed. It should invest in technology in community health centers and train people how to access telemental services over their smartphones (Daniel, 2022). Alternatively, mental health licensure reciprocity across different states should be enabled to assure the LGBTQ and BIPOC communities’ patients that they can access a therapist of color in whichever United States State they are in (Daniel, 2022). Investing in telemental health services through standardization of telehealth practices in different insurance plans and providing government funds aimed at expanding internet VPN to marginalized areas across the nation.
APN Role Advocate for or Against Policy Proposal
The policy issue plays a vital role in educating the public that regardless of the measures put in place to expand access to equitable and inclusive telemental health services, the LGBTQ and BIPOC communities still face discrimination in accessing the services. As an Advanced Practice Nurse, to implement the policy proposal, I can host educational forums to talk about the community on the advocacy issue at stake and provide possible solutions to the people. I would also be part of the advocacy organization, providing financial support and making outreach abilities (Howlett, 2019). Being an APN, I would conduct in-depth research on the underlying issue and present my findings.
Conclusion
Accessing mental health care in every facility should be treated as the right of any citizen. Telemental health services encompasses using of remote communication technology such as video conferencing, Facetiming, Skyping, and Googling relevant websites. Despite the advocacy to uphold equitable and inclusive healthcare providence, the BIPOC community are racially discriminated by White therapists. In a bid to improve the services provided, various recommendations have been listed and which include distributing technology, investing in insurance plans, and ensuring patients have access to therapists from different states.
References
Daniel Do. (2022). The Pandemic Underscored Why We Need Equitable Telemental Health Services. Health Policy In Brief. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Web.
Howlett, M. (2019). Moving policy implementation theory forward: A multiple streams/critical juncture approach. Public Policy and Administration, 34(4), 405-430. Web.
Miranda Neto, M. V. D., Rewa, T., Leonello, V. M., & Oliveira, M. A. D. C. (2018). Advanced practice nursing: a possibility for Primary Health Care?. Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem, 71, 716-721. Web.