History and Progression of the Frontline Responders Program
Phil Lebovitz, MD, Coordinator
March of 2020 has become a nodal point in the psychoanalytic community with the shelter in place directive due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. All of us who have office practices abruptly transitioned to electronic meetings with our patients via Zoom, doxy.me, telephone, etc. As that developed, an awareness of the psychological toll on front line personnel became headlines, particularly after an admired E.R. director took her own life. How could we respond to the crisis overwhelming the front line personnel? I began a conversation with friends and colleagues who encouraged me to put my thoughts into action.
My initial effort was to explore what was developing on other cities. This led to the recognition that some cities were already on the verge of implementing plans for ways to make brief treatment available. For Chicago a natural resource seemed to be the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute with its clinic. At first the administration was doubtful that CPI had the resources to accomplish such an endeavor. After consulting with CPI’s Board chair, Bob Graham, a more specific plan was constructed. Bob consulted with CPI’s President, Erika Schmidt and the administrative support needed for the plan evolved. Uniquely Chicago’s clinic established a more structured process than any of the other psychoanalytic communities could provide.
CPI Faculty were invited to volunteer to provide up to 8 pro bono sessions for front line personnel who included any physician providing front line care, nursing, respiratory therapists, hospital support staff, mental health personnel, administrative personnel, paramedics, police and fire persons. Initially, 43 CPI faculty answered the call. 28 completed the needed documentation to accept patient referrals; all are also members of the Chicago Psychoanalytic Society. 20 contacts have happened and all have followed through for consultations; several have completed the 8 pro bono sessions offered.
Concurrently, a CPI board member, Steve Berger, graciously facilitated contact with his daughter who is an attorney on the Governor’s staff. She facilitated communication with her counterpart at the Illinois Hospital Association. She arranged contact with the Assistant Director of Behavioral Health of the City of Chicago. CPI established the administrative structure which included a dedicated phone number with voice mail, a dedicated email address, forms needed to track incoming calls and follow up, and the conscientious attention of the CPI clinic administrative individual. In addition, CPI’s media relations person crafted a PR to circulate along with a flyer (both of which are attached to this). The press release and the flyer were circulated by all of the parties with whom I have had contact plus the interim chair of psychiatry at University of Chicago and the Rush Center for Clinical Wellness. Recently, Susie Orbach has posted the flyer about this project on her Twitter account.
A steering committee of Adele Kaufman and Don McDevitt assisted Phil Lebovitz in strategic planning while Norman Kohn coordinated the referrals to available faculty therapists. The model utilized was short term psychodynamic psychotherapy with the option to continue if the therapist and the patient agreed and could negotiate an appropriate fee; if needed, a referral to a clinic or another therapist ( if in network insurance coverage is necessary for example) will be facilitated.
Materials were presented to the therapists from work done by Gil Kliman who has done extraordinary work with traumatized people from other natural catastrophes. A seminar with Jeff Taxman also was arranged and was held by Zoom. The fundamental principle of the treatment being offered is to focus on the resilience of the personnel so that they regain the equilibrium that enabled them to function at high levels during this crisis.
The June 2020 APsaA meeting took place virtually using Zoom. Jim Barron of Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute and Phil Lebovitz of CPI were invited to moderate a discussion which included representatives from Boston, Chicago and San Francisco because each had a different approach to offering services to the frontline community. 50 attendees participated including the Assistant Director of behavioral Health for the City of Chicago.
As long as the need for services by a program like this one is sought, the intention is to continue. With the predictions of a very dark period through the holidays having a project like this one can fill a gap in the support needed by those on the frontline who become overwhelmed and who seek it out.
