Our Response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Summit launches Tele-Mental Health via VideoTherapy and Telephone to Meet the Mental Health Needs of Our Community
Our hearts and prayers go out to everyone that has and will be impacted by this unprecedented event. While our national and local communities work to contain and mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19), The Summit is hard at work adapting our manner of providing quality services so that we can continue serving our clients effectively through this difficult time. An important part of this plan is to make sure that we are communicating often and directly with our stakeholders (clients, partners and donors), keeping them in the loop as we adapt our services to meet the needs of our community. Currently, our offices remain open and we will continue to operate our normal business hours. We are continually monitoring the situation and will notify our clients if we need to make revisions.
Summit launches VideoTherapy
During this time of heightened precautions and anxiety surrounding close contact with others, we realize that in-person counseling might not be an option for some of our current clients and others in need throughout the community. Over the past week, The Summit has fast-tracked technical resources and additional training so that each of our therapists will be available to provide Tele-Mental Health via HIPAA-Compliant Telephone or VideoTherapy. The VideoTherapy platform is accessible via the internet using desktop, laptop, tablet or smart phone devices. This technology provides for face-to-face clinical care remotely, allowing both clients and clinicians to practice social distancing and uninterrupted therapy throughout this pandemic event.
Serving Our School-Based Clients
In addition to our 5 community locations, The Summit currently partners with Fulton and Dekalb County School Districts to provide school-based mental health services in 28 local schools. We are seeing a rise in our students’ stress due to the academic and social disruptions and increased anxiety surrounding the current unknowns caused by COVID-19. During the current school closings, The Summit has adjusted schedules at our facilities, allowing each of our school-based therapists extended office hours at the satellite office location closest to their school(s). Students will also have the option to receive Tele-Mental Health services.
Serving Our Younger Clients
The very nature of Play Therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach primarily used to help children ages 3 to 12 explore their lives and freely express repressed thoughts and emotions through play. Our Play Therapist are meeting together as a team and are currently part of a nationwide online group that will be discussing best practice for play therapy as we move into the VideoTherapy world. They will be evaluating their clients, case-by-case to determine if the child is a good candidate for VideoTherapy or if Parent Coaching via VideoTherapy is a better fit.
DBT Skills Classes
At this time, our DBT Skills Classes will continue to meet in person. However, we are in the process of establishing a remote group alternative for those who must stay home. If you plan to or believe you may need to attend groups remotely, please contact our office at 678-893-5300 to opt into our VideoTherapy services.
Community Outreach Programming
In response to the CDC’s guidance on March 15th to cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more over the next 8 weeks, The Summit will be postponing all of our community outreach programming, including the North Fulton Mental Health Collaborative which meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday, until further notice. We regret the inconvenience that this may cause our partners and members of the community and will be communicating future dates once they have been confirmed.
Coping with COVID-19
The Summit is in the process of updating our website to include a page devoted to COVID-19. This page will be used to update our communication to our clients and the community and will also be a resource to help our community cope in this new world of COVID-19. Visit our website at SummitCounseling.org for more information.
About The Summit Counseling Center
Since 1990, The Summit Counseling Center has been a trusted community partner; bringing hope, healing, and restoration to children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Through their partnerships with local community organizations, The Summit serves North Atlanta at 33 locations, including 28 local public schools where there is a therapist onsite. To learn more about The Summit Counseling Center, their school counseling services, and how they support communities, visit www.summitcounseling.org