Listen, Mental Health Matters: Highlights From Our Conversation With Compass Health's Tom Kozaczynski
The COVID-19 pandemic created many new emergency developments for healthcare and raised awareness of the need to destigmatize mental health around the world. In the second episode of his podcast, Listen, Mental Health Matters, HDR Behavioral and Mental Health Practice Leader Brian Giebink discussed sunsetting telehealth regulations, improved access to mental health services, and addressing community needs with Compass Health's Chief Advancement Officer Tom Kozaczynski. Here are some of the key takeaways from their conversation.
Anticipating Community Needs
Brian: What are you striving to provide for the people in the communities that Compass Health serves, and what do they need most right now?
Tom: Nationwide, there is a shortage of beds for folks in mental health crises, so part of what our new facility will do is provide 32 beds: 16 for involuntary treatment, supplementing the existing 16 in the community, and another 16 for voluntary crisis triage. These two programs deeply integrate with our community’s social and healthcare fabric. Many folks view local hospital emergency rooms as de facto mental health crisis centers, but despite their good intentions, this isn’t optimal. While some crises necessitate emergency care, ERs are not conducive to mental health support, often involving law enforcement and first responders in a manner that is not an efficient use of resources. For our community, particularly because this facility serves the most intensive side of our spectrum of needs, it allows us to provide these services through partnership, ensuring that we’re supporting the healthcare system, first responders and other community partners in an efficient financial model.
Breaking Down Barriers to Care
Brian: Many organizations have unique strategies they implement to improve access and follow-up with behavioral health patients. Would you share some that you have found to be the most effective?
Tom: Despite the inherent difficulties brought on by the pandemic, which forced rapid adaptation to a drastically different healthcare experience, Compass has successfully advanced initiatives aimed at improving access to care and follow-up care for behavioral health patients. Notably, the implementation of telehealth services and stations and the establishment of strategic partnerships, such as those with schools, have proven highly effective. Through our experiences navigating and adapting to changing times and new environments for care, we’ve learned the vitality of flexibility in adapting to evolving circumstances and the value of community engagement in tailoring services to meet the needs of the localities we serve.
Additionally, plans for our new 72,000-square-foot facility in downtown Everett, WA represent a significant upgrade from the current outdated building, providing tailored services and increased safety measures for staff, patients, and families alike. Funding for the $65 million project comes from several sources including federal, state, local and private philanthropy, with a capital campaign led by the Compass team to raise $14 million of that total amount. This investment is expected to transform community perceptions of care and increase our ability to provide the care that is needed.
Nontraditional Technological Solutions
Brian: Federal funding for telehealth services that was put into place primarily because of the pandemic is set to end at the end of 2024. How is that going to impact telehealth care in the long term?
Tom: We’ve utilized and implemented innovative telehealth technological solutions in areas that may have not even been able to take advantage of traditional telehealth solutions. This includes proprietary machines like the “robot,” which are HIPAA and low-bandwidth compliant, implemented in schools and other high traffic community locations and are particularly beneficial for rural and remote communities like San Juan County, one of the island/frontier communities that we serve. Advocacy efforts have also been integral in influencing decision-making and both encouraging and ensuring continued funding for telehealth services. While telehealth is not always the best solution, it is extremely advantageous in certain environments including these remote and geographically unique areas that we serve.
Whole Person Healthcare
Brian: Integration of primary care and mental health care is very important. Is that something that Compass Health is involved with in any way?
Tom: We prioritize the integration of mental health care and primary care, viewing this initiative with the utmost importance. We consider ourselves the “healthcare home” for individuals whose mental health is their primary healthcare concern. Recognizing the significant impact of comorbidity on the population that we serve, plans for future colocation of primary care within our facilities are already underway. Past attempts and experiences with partners like Molina Healthcare have shown success in offering comprehensive healthcare services under one roof, but the reality of this model depends largely on availability of funding, which is often inconsistent and not guaranteed.
