by Julie T. Steck, Ph.D., HSPP
In March of 2020 life as we knew it changed dramatically. Almost every aspect of our lives has changed in the past nine months – how we work, who we see, how we shop, what we do for entertainment, how we mourn, and how we celebrate. This has been a time that has challenged our faith and tested our resilience. It has been a time that has caused us to reflect on who we are and what is important to us. In short, the pandemic has caused chaos all around us. And to survive in a time like this, we must try to see the possibilities.
As with many businesses, CRG stopped seeing patients in our office in late March. We knew that we would need to immediately change from in-person services to the use of telehealth. The Indiana General Assembly pass legislation in 2019 that permitted use of telehealth for psychologists, but its use had not been widespread. CRG had two accounts with GoToMeeting (a HIPPA compliant teleconference platform), and several of the providers had used it intermittently for meetings, medication management therapy, and coaching sessions. However, we would need 20 accounts to enable all of our providers to see their patients. And what about the administration of psychological tests? CRG is widely known for its psychological evaluations that assist with educational and treatment planning.
At CRG, we were forced to embrace the mantra “in the midst of chaos, comes opportunity.” We know this resonates with our readers and we hope you are continuing to find ways to stay safe, you’re your financial needs, maintain good mental health, and balance so many new dimensions of our new normal. In this issue of the CRG newsletter, we will explore the changes to behavioral health care, schooling and other dimensions of our world – with an eye toward the positive opportunities we have before us. We are also excited to introduce new members of our team!
We wish you a safe and happy holiday season. Thank you for your ongoing adaptability to working with us during this time of change.
