Videoconference Grief Group Counseling in Rural Texas: Outcomes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned

Abstract

Disparities in access to mental health care, especially in rural areas, demand continued attention from practitioners, researchers, and community stakeholders. Telehealth, or the use of long distance technology to provide mental health services, is one well-recognized solution for reducing mental health disparities. At the Telehealth Counseling Clinic, advanced doctoral students provide telepsychology services to low-income and uninsured individuals living in a rural region in Texas. In response to an identified community need for grief counseling services, an 8-week grief group utilizing videoconference technology was conducted. This article discusses clinical and methodological challenges and lessons learned that are unique to delivering group counseling services over videoconference technology in a rural area, as well as preliminary data of the group’s effectiveness as measured by a satisfaction survey, the Patient Health Questionnaire–9, the CORE–B, and the Complicated Grief Assessment are presented.

Keywords:

• grief
• rural
• telehealth
• telepsychology
• videoconference group counseling

Additional information

Funding

Funding was made possible (in part) by the Medicaid section 1115(a) Demonstration, entitled “Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program” (Project Number 11-W-00278/6); and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Rural Health Policy Rural Health Care Services Outreach Grant Program, award number D04RH23593-01-02.

Notes on contributors

Jessica E. Chang

Jessica E. Chang, M.Ed., and Alejandra Sequeira, M. Ed., are graduate research assistants in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University and contributed equally to this work. Carly E. McCord, Ph.D., is director of clinical services, and Whitney R. Garney, Ph.D., is a research and evaluation associate, in the School of Public Health at Texas A&M Health Science Center.

Alejandra Sequeira

Jessica E. Chang, M.Ed., and Alejandra Sequeira, M. Ed., are graduate research assistants in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University and contributed equally to this work. Carly E. McCord, Ph.D., is director of clinical services, and Whitney R. Garney, Ph.D., is a research and evaluation associate, in the School of Public Health at Texas A&M Health Science Center.

Carly E. McCord

Jessica E. Chang, M.Ed., and Alejandra Sequeira, M. Ed., are graduate research assistants in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University and contributed equally to this work. Carly E. McCord, Ph.D., is director of clinical services, and Whitney R. Garney, Ph.D., is a research and evaluation associate, in the School of Public Health at Texas A&M Health Science Center.

Whitney R. Garney

Jessica E. Chang, M.Ed., and Alejandra Sequeira, M. Ed., are graduate research assistants in the Department of Educational Psychology at Texas A&M University and contributed equally to this work. Carly E. McCord, Ph.D., is director of clinical services, and Whitney R. Garney, Ph.D., is a research and evaluation associate, in the School of Public Health at Texas A&M Health Science Center.