Development and Implementation of an Interim Coping Skills Module for Waitlisted Patients Seeking Mental Health Therapy

Background: From 2015 to 2021, an average of 640 Utahns died by suicide each year. Between August 2020 and August 2021, calls to a Utah suicide prevention hotline increased by 24%. The national and state shortage of psychiatrists and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNP) aggravates Utah's mental health crisis. The wait time to see a psychiatrist or PMHNP prior to 2020 was approximately four to eight weeks; in May 2022, the wait time is reportedly eight to 16 weeks. Utah's inadequate number of mental health providers are facing compassion fatigue and burnout. Compounding the crisis is that primary care and mental health clinicians statewide are overwhelmed by requests for behavioral health intervention and waiting weeks on end for an initial psychiatric evaluation is detrimental to an already fragile population. Methods: An online psychoeducational module was developed and provided via a website link to adult (≥18 years old) waitlisted individuals at a community mental health clinic in the Salt Lake Valley. The module comprised (a) basic lifestyle behaviors supporting mental health (sleep hygiene, mindfulness practice, exercise); (b) cognitive behavioral and acceptance and commitment therapy coping skills; (c) a weekly progress log, and (d) gratitude journal. Pre- and post-module surveys were used to assess waitlisted individuals' knowledge and use of coping skills. Results: Twenty waitlisted individuals were invited to participate. Seven waitlisted individuals participated in the online psychoeducational module. Three waitlisted individuals completed pre- and post- module surveys. This quality improvement project aimed to increase waitlisted individuals' knowledge of coping skills and healthy behavioral changes. An overall increase in knowledge of coping skills was seen in one participant. One participant increased their understanding of resources that contain information on coping skills by five points on a 1-10 scale. Two waitlisted individuals who completed the pre-and post-module surveys reported using coping skills more in their lives. The clinical director at Jewish Family Service felt that this was a beneficial intervention for waitlisted patients. Conclusions: An online psychoeducational module increased waitlisted individuals' knowledge of simple coping skills and healthy behavioral changes. Repeated project studies are needed to determine if this quality improvement project's intervention would provide practical and effective mental health support to waitlisted individuals seeking outpatient treatment in varied clinic settings, including rural areas.