Tribal Communities
The availability of mental health services is severely limited by the rural, isolated location of many Native American communities. Over 50% of Native Americans and Alaska Natives live in rural areas or in small towns. Many of these areas have been designated by federal health authorities as having a critical shortage of mental health professionals. There are often more than 30,000 people per psychiatrist in these shortage zones.
There are 574 federally recognized Native American tribes across the continental U.S. and Alaska. Some tribes have more than one reservation, some share reservations, and others have none. Most clinics and hospitals administered by the Indian Health Service are still located on reservations. However, not all Native Americans reside on reservations, reducing their ability to access the critical mental health care they need.
The American Psychiatric Association has identified some of the barriers Native American people face when attempting to access behavioral health care, including:
- Economic barriers due to cost or lack of insurance
- Limited knowledge of mental health issues
- Lower education levels and pervasive poverty
- Lack of culturally appropriate services
- Insufficient intervention strategies, including integration of mental health and primary health care services
- Shortage and/or high turnover of mental health professionals in their communities
- Mistrust of health care providers
- Continuing lack of accurate data and research on Native Americans
Stable Provider Relationships Through Telepsychiatry
Telepsychiatry is a key tool that can help meet the mental health service needs of remote Native American populations. FasPsych works with health care providers in tribal communities to develop and implement services that meet the behavioral health needs of their people.
When it comes to online psychiatry, building stable, reliable relationships is essential. Patients will connect with the same provider for every appointment, so they can develop the rapport and trust that produces positive clinical outcomes. We welcome your involvement in the provider selection process so you can identify the provider(s) who will be the best fit for your community.
Providers who are available to work with tribal communities include:
- Adult Psychiatrists
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
- Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Licensed Clinical Social Workers
- Licensed Independent Social Workers
- Licensed Professional Counselors
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
- Licensed Substance Abuse Counselors
Reliable Telemed Services with FasPsych
Working closely with our qualified telepsychiatric providers, FasPsych will provide the essential mental health services needed by Native Americans living in rural or remote areas. Our flexible service will:
- Work with you to recruit the ideal provider for your community.
- Provide secure, reliable access to video conferencing software for appointments.
- Help identify Medicaid and Medicare registration numbers and approval by additional carriers as necessary.
Our goal is to facilitate consistent, virtual behavioral and mental health services for tribal communities in need of accessible care. Contact us today to learn more.