Beacon Health | Focus On You | Fall 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic response came suddenly in early 2020, leaving Maine hospitals to redesign how to care for their patients. “It was overwhelming to balance patient care with the new COVID-19 procedures and ways of doing things,” recalls Karin Heim, LCPC, provider of pediatric outpatient individual, group, and family therapy at Northern Light Acadia Hospital, one of the few psychiatric hospitals in the state. Acadia quickly began to offer nearly all outpatient services via video conferencing, known as telehealth, to safely serve its patients. “I have many patients who are benefitting from telehealth,” Karin says. It’s easier for patients and families to schedule and attend an appointment from the comfort of their home, rather than making time to commute (sometimes a great distance) to the hospital for services. It has really removed financial, time, and transportation barriers for a lot of our patients.” To learn more about our services or schedule an appointment with Acadia’s Behavioral Health Resource Center, call 207-973-6048 . Need extra support? Tele mental health could be the answer! Acadia recognizes that its mental and behavioral health services are needed more than ever at a time when we’re all feeling in need of support and connection. That is why it expanded access to its telehealth services to meet the growing need. Karin, for example, runs a popular LGBTQ+ therapy group that has grown since the pandemic. These high school-aged patients regularly come together online to talk about a range of topics that are important to them. “I would recommend seeking help when you start to notice that you or your child is not feeling or acting like themselves,” Karin explains. Look for signs like changes to appetite, sleep, or mood, or if you’re feeling thoughts of self-harm. “The sooner people can build the skills needed to cope with these difficulties now, the sooner they will prevent them from spiraling out of control in the future,” she says. Karin Heim, LCPC, provider of pediatric outpatient individual, group, and family therapy at Northern Light Acadia Hospital. Karin and the care teams at Acadia went from providing only 6% of services via telehealth to providing nearly 90% in a matter of weeks. 6 % 90 % Fall 2020 ON YOU A health guide for members of our Northern Light Employee Health Plan Beacon Health