Mental health service delivery for IPV victims during the COVID-19 pandemic: Technology as a path forward

This paper focuses on outlining factors to consider for mental health service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, we aim to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the rapid shift in the use of technology-based programs within family violence crisis centers. First, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the use of technology with IPV populations. Specifically, we are interested in how teleservices (particularly telehealth) assist and hinder service delivery and survivor outcomes. Second, two reputable and longstanding violence-prevention organizations in the Greater Houston Area (Houston Area Women's Center [HAWC] and Montgomery County Women's Center [MCWC]) will be used to illustrate some of the benefits and advantages resulting from the abrupt shift to telehealthbased service delivery for IPV victims and survivors. This paper provides some preliminary insight to the advantages and disadvantages of the transition to telehealth services during a pandemic in violence prevention organization settings. Nonetheless, there is a great need for additional efficacy and effectiveness studies as this transition is new and the long-term effects are not wellknown. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)