Medical Center Launches Telepsychiatry in Lincoln, Montana

Cabinet Peaks Medical Center of Libby, Montana, has partnered with Array, a national telepsychiatry service provider organization, to bring telepsychiatry services to their emergency department.  This innovative new program will ensure individuals in Lincoln County in need of psychiatric treatment will have access to timely, quality care.

Libby, MT – Cabinet Peaks Medical Center, a 25-bed critical access hospital, and Array Behavioral Care are pleased to announce a new partnership to increase emergency psychiatric coverage so that individuals in crisis are able to get the care they need more quickly.

Telepsychiatry is the delivery of psychiatry through real-time videoconferencing. It is proven to be an effective form of care delivery and a convenient, cost-effective way to safely expand psychiatric support at a hospital without the challenge of staffing an in-person psychiatry provider.

Cabinet Peaks Medical Center Launches Telepsychiatry Program in Lincoln County, Montana

The program is designed to lessen wait times for psychiatric evaluations, admission, and treatment decisions. The partnership gives Cabinet Peaks Medical Center staff access to a team of remote psychiatrists who can do psychiatric evaluations and consultations through telehealth using video calls. Nurses and emergency department physicians can now connect patients with a remote telepsychiatry provider in as little as an hour.

All Array telepsychiatry clinicians are licensed in Montana and trained to provide care to Cabinet Peaks patients in the same way as all onsite providers. Cabinet Peaks’ partnership with Array will help transform care in the emergency department and increase efficiency so that all patients are able to receive the care they need.

Telepsychiatry Program Importance in Lincoln County, Montana

Mental health is a top concern in Montana, as many individuals in the state are living with mental health disorders.  In fact, Mental Health America ranks Montana 46 out of the 50 states and Washington D.C. for prevalence of mental health and substance use issues.[1]  And, at nearly double the national average, Montana has the highest suicide rate in the United States with more than 28 suicides per 100,000 people.

Further compounding the problem, there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals in the state, so many residents are not receiving the treatment they need.  In Lincoln County alone, the ratio of population to mental health providers is 510:1, compared to the state ratio of 360:1.[2]  This means that more than 85% of Montana’s population has inadequate access to psychiatry.[3]

“This telepsychiatry program will help us to better provide our patients with the mental health care they need and deserve,” stated Anita Ivankovig, Chief Operating Officer for Cabinet Peaks.  “Mavis Vaillancourt, local LCSW, LAC, LLC, who has been providing our mental health evaluations for some time has done a fantastic job for our community.   This program will be an addition to these services and the processes we already have in place.”

“Telepsychiatry gives communities unprecedented access to mental health care specialists. We are pleased to partner with Cabinet Peaks Medical Center to offer this service.  Telepsychiatry is a great solution, not only in Montana, but also in many other states across the nation where there is significant mental health need and a shortage of psychiatry providers” said Shawn Ball, Chief Operating Officer at Array.

 About Cabinet Peaks

Cabinet Peaks Medical Center is a 25 bed Critical Access Hospital which lies at the foot of the Cabinet Mountains and is 90 miles from the closest tertiary hospital.  The medical center is extremely progressive for its small size, dictated in part by its remote location.  CPMC offers a wide range of services including general surgery, obstetrics, a family medicine clinic, and a 24-7 physician staffed emergency room.  The rural hospital also offers an array of ancillary services including nutrition and diabetes education; sleep lab; cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation; chemotherapy and infusion; respiratory therapy; laboratory services; rehabilitative services which providers physical, speech, and occupational therapy; and a full scale imaging department including a state-of-the-art wide bore MRI and 64-slice CT scanner.  The mission of Cabinet Peaks Medical Center is “Committed to Quality, Compassionate Care”, and its vision is to meet the ever-changing needs of their community for health, healing, and comfort.  Learn more at www.cabinetpeaks.org.

About Array

Array Behavioral Care (formerly InSight + Regroup) is the leading and largest telepsychiatry service provider in the country with a mission to transform access to quality, timely behavioral health care. Array offers telepsychiatry solutions and services across the continuum of care from hospital to home with its OnDemand Care, Scheduled Care and AtHome Care divisions. For more than 20 years, Array has partnered with hundreds of hospitals and health systems, community healthcare organizations and payers of all sizes to expand access to care and improve outcomes for underserved individuals, facilities and communities. As an industry pioneer and established thought leader, Array has helped shape the field, define the standard of care and advocate for improved telepsychiatry-friendly regulations. To learn more, visit www.arraybc.com.

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[1] Ranking the States. (2015). Mental Health America. Retrieved 2 August 2019, from https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/issues/ranking-states

[2] (2019). Countyhealthrankings.org. Retrieved 2 August 2019, from https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/app/montana/2019/rankings/lincoln/county/factors/overall/snapshot

[3] Mental Health Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs). (2019). The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Retrieved 2 August 2019, from https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/mental-health-care-health-professional-shortage-areas-hpsas/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D