module 3

2

Module 1 Discussion

Jachai Littlejohn

St. Thomas University

NUR-670-AP3

Dr. Mesa

August 28, 2025

Real-world Problem in U.S. Psychiatric Care

One of the most pressing current issues in U.S. psychiatric care is the profound shortage and unequal distribution of mental health providers, especially across rural and underserved urban areas. As of late 2024, over one-third of Americans, 122 million people live in federally designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), with rural counties disproportionately affected (Mental Health America, 2025). Less than one-third of the U.S. population lives in areas with enough psychiatric providers, and more than half of the counties have none (Modi et al., 2022). These gaps delay diagnosis, limit follow-up care, and worsen symptoms, especially for serious mental diseases such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. When individuals cannot access timely care, it increases psychiatric hospitalizations, emergency room visits, incarceration, and suicide.

Moreover, access problems are exacerbated by insurance inadequacies and persistent systemic fragmentation. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 requires equal coverage of mental and physical health services, but insurance limitations like arbitrary “medical necessity” standards, restricted provider networks, denials, and “phantom” provider listings prevent true parity (Modi et al., 2022). Patients often stop therapy due to these hurdles, especially if out-of-pocket expenditures are substantial. In addition, psychiatric services are commonly reserved from primary care, creating fragmented and poorly coordinated treatment. Patients with diabetes or heart disease may receive physical health treatment in one location but struggle to get mental health care in another. Over half of U.S. adults with mental illness go untreated, causing public health and economic issues.

PICO Question

P (Population/Patient Problem): Adults living in the U.S. Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) who have untreated or undertreated mental illness

I (Intervention): Implementation of integrated telepsychiatry services

C (Comparison): Usual care (limited or in-person psychiatric referral only)

O (Outcome): Increased treatment engagement and reduced symptom severity at 6 months

PICO question:
In adults with mental illness residing in U.S. Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (P), does offering integrated telepsychiatry services through primary care clinics (I), compared with usual care (limited in-person referral only) (C), increase treatment engagement and reduce symptom severity at 6 months (O)?

Why This PICO Question Is Important to Advanced Practice Nursing

This PICO question is critically important for advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) because nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurse practitioners are poised to be frontline providers in models of integrated and technology enabled mental health care. The nationwide mental health provider deficit disproportionately impacts marginalized and rural communities, who commonly use primary care providers for psychiatric needs (Omiyefa, 2025). Telepsychiatry solutions in primary care use existing access points, clinics where patients receive physical health care to increase the APRN’s ability to provide specialized psychiatric support remotely. Telepsychiatry integration must be tested to see if it improves efficiency, reduces delays, and improves patient outcomes since primary care professionals provide most U.S. mental health treatments (Calderone et al., 2021). This concept could reduce professional isolation and increase interdisciplinary collaboration for rural and marginalized nurse practitioners by connecting them with psychiatric specialists.

Furthermore, this PICO question addresses systemic barriers beyond workforce scarcity, including insurance limitations, fragmentation of care, and stigma associated with seeking psychiatric services. Integrated telepsychiatry can reduce fragmentation by coordinating physical and mental health treatment in one location (Olawade et al., 2024). Normalizing psychiatric care in primary care may reduce stigma. Advanced practice nurses can use this research to advocate for better reimbursement policies, best practices for integrating telepsychiatry into routine care, and evidence for scaling effective programs nationwide. This PICO question highlights the APRN’s unique position in mental health equity, innovation, and quality by emphasizing measurable outcomes like treatment engagement and symptom reduction. Ultimately, answering this question empowers APRNs to expand access to psychiatric care and to directly address disparities that affect millions of Americans.

References

Calderone, J., Lopez, A., Schwenk, S., Yager, J., & Shore, J. H. (2021). Telepsychiatry and integrated primary care: setting expectations and creating an effective process for success.
MHealth,
6, 29–29.

Mental Health America. (2025).
MHA Releases 2024 State of Mental Health in America Report | Mental Health America. Mental Health America.

Modi, H., Orgera, K., & Grover, A. (2022).
Exploring Barriers to Mental Health Care in the U.S. AAMC.

Olawade, A. C. D., Olawade, D. B., Ojo, I. O., Famujimi, M. E., Olawumi, T. T., & Esan, D. T. (2024). Nursing in the Digital Age: Harnessing telemedicine for enhanced patient care.
Informatics and Health,
1(2), 100–110.

Omiyefa, S. (2025). Mental Healthcare Disparities in Low-Income U.S. Populations: Barriers, Policy Challenges, and Intervention Strategies.
International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews,
6(3), 2277–2290.