What does it mean to be a “comprehensive behavioral health treatment” program?
To be a “comprehensive behavioral health treatment” program means that we are focused on the wholeness of the patient by providing not only mental health services, but also connecting our patients with information to access resources such as food assistance, living assistance and more to aid their daily lives as a method of prevention.
What kind of mental health services does AR ConnectNow offer?
AR ConnectNow offers short-term individual therapy services to patients for up to six sessions. These services include working with patients by way of crisis intervention and crisis stabilization while working to transition them into longer-term therapy services in their region of the state.
It’s my first time talking to a therapist. What can I expect? How will my therapist know what to help me with?
During your first therapy visit, you will complete a process known as a diagnostic assessment. An assessment helps the therapist obtain valuable information such as why the patient is seeking therapy, the patient’s medical history, pertinent family history, and more to help them understand their patient better. The overall purpose of the assessment is to help the patient and therapist to establish counseling goals and to form the patient’s treatment plan.
Why do counseling/treatment goals matter?
It is important to have clarity on why you are seeking therapy and what you are wanting to see as an outcome of the time you commit to therapy.
How many sessions will I get with my AR ConnectNow therapist?
AR ConnectNow patients are provided up to six individual therapy sessions with their therapist.
How long is each therapy session? How often do I need to see my therapist?
Therapy sessions can last up to 60 minutes. We recommended scheduling weekly sessions.
Do I have to have to be on video during my sessions or can we be on a phone call only?
Yes, patients must complete their therapy sessions on video. Due to HIPAA rules regarding patient health information, patients need to be present on video to not only verify their identity, but to follow current telehealth guidelines for therapists.
Is the quality of virtual therapy the same as in-person therapy?
The quality of therapy for someone in-person may differ slightly from someone who attends virtually due to various factors such as internet connections, device issues, etc. The therapist remains the same in providing treatment for their patient(s).
How do you maintain confidentiality on a virtual platform?
UAMS Health is dedicated to patient safety and that means protection via the platforms that are chosen to serve our patients through virtual means. We maintain confidentiality by having therapists in their own offices, identifying patients by their MRN numbers instead of by name, and honoring our ethical codes as therapists in regards to confidentiality.
Will there be “homework” from my therapist?
Each therapist approaches treatment with their clients in different ways. Some therapists may assign their patient homework while others may not.
What if I don’t get along with or trust my therapist?
As a patient, you have every right to advocate for yourself and what’s best for your journey. If you do not get along with or trust your therapist, let them know that they may not be the best fit for you and ask to be referred to a different therapist.
My child, who is a minor, needs therapy. Does a parent/guardian need to be present for their sessions?
When seeking therapy for a minor, the parent/guardian must be present for the intake and assessment. For ongoing therapy sessions for a minor, the parent/guardian must be at the same location at the time of the service. The mental health professional and parent/guardian will determine the best course of treatment for the minor.
May I attend my virtual therapy visit from anywhere if I have internet and video?
The patient must be within the state of Arkansas at the time of the service. Otherwise, the patient is expected to treat their virtual appointments the same as they would in-person appointments. For example, the patient’s virtual appointments cannot be conducted while the patient is in the bathroom, in a public setting like the grocery store, or while watching television. The patient should be in a quiet, private environment with limited distractions for all their virtual appointments. For the patient’s safety, any appointments attempted while the patient is driving a motor vehicle will be rescheduled. The patient is expected to be fully clothed during the video sessions.
I completed my four therapy sessions, but think I still need more therapy. Can I continue seeing my AR ConnectNow therapist?
AR ConnectNow is a short-term program. In cases where longer-term therapy is needed, our care coordinators will find therapy resources in your community.
Does AR ConnectNow write prescriptions?
AR ConnectNow has access to psychiatrists to help with identifying and prescribing the medications that patients may need. However, the patient’s engagement with the psychiatrist will be limited to the time that they are in our program. For medication management following a patient’s discharge from the AR ConnectNow program, the patient will be referred to a psychiatrist in their area. Due to being a virtual program, there are some medications that we cannot prescribe and fill. These medications include controlled substances like Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and stimulant medications used to treat ADHD to name a few.
Does AR ConnectNow offer any testing services?
No, AR ConnectNow does not perform psychological testing. If that is needed, our care coordinators will find psychological testing resources in your community.
What is the virtual patient experience with AR ConnectNow? How long does each appointment last?
There are four main stages of becoming/being an AR ConnectNow patient.
- Call (less than 10 minutes) — To schedule an appointment with AR ConnectNow, call us. Our phone lines are accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and are monitored by triage nurses. If you are not in crisis at the time of your call, the nurse will schedule you with AR ConnectNow to complete an “intake” (enrollment) phone call. If you are in crisis, the nurse will direct you to your nearest emergency department for immediate help.
- Intake (up to 45 minutes) — Await the phone call from AR ConnectNow’s intake coordinator at the appointment time you set up during your phone call with the nurse. During this intake phone call, you will learn about AR ConnectNow’s services and the intake coordinator will collect demographic and contact information from you. Then the intake coordinator will assign and schedule you with a therapist for a video session to complete a new patient assessment.
- Assessment (60 minutes) — The new patient assessment is completed with the assigned therapist and includes questions about your reason for seeking help, goals for treatment, pertinent medical history, family health history, etc. The therapist will also address if a referral to a psychiatrist is needed for medication purposes. At the end of this session, the therapist will schedule you for individual therapy sessions.
- For UAMS MyChart users — You will receive a notification with a link to join the Assessment video session once the appointment is scheduled in Epic. A reminder notification with the same link is sent 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment.
- For non UAMS MyChart users — Your assigned therapist will send you the video link via text or email at the scheduled time of the assessment.
- Individual Therapy Sessions (60 minutes each) — Your remaining appointments will be 60-minute individual therapy sessions with your assigned therapist. These must be completed using video. You may complete up to four individual therapy sessions and we recommend scheduling one session per week.
- For UAMS MyChart users — You will receive a notification with a link to join the next video session once the individual therapy appointment is scheduled in Epic. A reminder notification with the same link is sent 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment. If you are unable to access the link at the time of the session, your therapist can send a copy of the link at that time.
- For non UAMS MyChart users — Your therapist will send you the video link via text or email at the scheduled time of the session.
Do I have to be an Arkansas resident to call AR ConnectNow?
No, you do not have to be a resident of Arkansas. However, you must be within the state of Arkansas at the time of service. If you are outside of Arkansas, there are UAMS regional campuses who may be able to assist you.