Single-Session Counselling in Mental Health Services: Evaluation of a New Program

Abstract

Organizations offering mental health services are in need of innovative solutions to address a lack of accessibility and availability in service provision. Waitlists for counselling services are long, often forcing those experiencing mental health difficulties to rely on acute care services in the interim. One option, single-session counselling, allows consumers to access services when they need it, as often as they need it. This service model can be integrated into current services to contend with difficulties related to efficiency and accessibility. The current study evaluated a new single-session counselling program offered in an outpatient community mental health clinic in Northwestern Ontario. The majority of participants rated the service favourably, and experienced a decrease in mental health difficulties and associated impairment. Single-session counselling reduced difficulties associated with the presenting problem, and allowed access to services sooner. Continued implementation of this model of care is supported by the current findings. Dissemination of information describing the nature of single-session counselling, as well as outcomes of program evaluations such as the current study, may help to increase acceptance of its integration into ongoing mental health services.