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Although I am still working full time, my job has been significantly impacted by COVID 19. I am a social worker who has my own practice, mainly seeing young adults and adults, particularly new moms, in an office that I rent. On 3/13, Governor Baker declared a State of Emergency for MA. At that time I needed to scramble to get a platform from which I could conduct counseling through tele-health. Shortly after the State of Emergency, Baker announced that all insurances operating in MA needed to reimburse tele-health at the same rate that in person visits are reimbursed, paving the way for health services, including mental health, to continue. Not being particularly adept at technology, getting a healthcare platform up and running was really challenging. ... Most of my clients chose to continue to meet with me virtually, although a few opted out for the time being.There were some snafus in the beginning, primarily due to weak internet, such as the sessions freezing so I was missing actual content of what people were saying, not being able to hear or sometimes see clients, etc. ... I greatly prefer working from home. The picture included above shows the view of the little desk I work from looking into my back yard, and most importantly, our cat Zelda who is a frequent companion while I am working. My dog sometimes visits, which is also fun for me, and I believe my clients, who have asked to meet him. I like the extra time working from home has created in each day, allowing time for more cooking, yoga, reading, seeing our pets and my husband. There are many unknowns, however - should I keep my office, which I am still paying rent for and not using? If I decide to go back to my office, when will it be safe to see clients, protecting their health and my own? Will insurances continue to cover tele-health after the pandemic subsides? If not, or at a reduced rate like pre-pandemic, would I make enough money to help pay the bills? Would my clients want to continue through tele-health, or would I lose most of them? Etc, etc. ...
July 6, 2020