Aims To examine data from an early intervention program for mental health following recent sexual assault (SA) to compare referral and service utilization rates before and after a community-based outreach model was implemented. Methods In July 2022, mental health clinicians from the early intervention program, which is housed within an academic medical center, began providing outreach within the community’s SA advocacy center. Analyses compared differences in average monthly program referrals and service utilization rates 18 months before and after the outreach model. Results Independent samples t -tests indicated that while monthly average program referrals did not change (8.67 SD =4.49 vs. 8.22 SD =3.37, p =0.74), the monthly average service utilization rates were higher (58% SD =23% vs. 28% SD =22%, p <0.01) after implementation of community outreach. Discussion Community outreach models that coordinate care among hospitals and SA advocacy centers may improve engagement with early mental health intervention after recent SA.
Mai et al. (Wed,) studied this question.