Professional and collegiate team assistance programs: services and utilization patterns

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Behavioral Health
• Athletic Performance

Background:

• Elite athletes, both professional and collegiate, demonstrate underutilization of crucial behavioral health services, including stress management, mental health support, and substance abuse treatment.
• Traditional service delivery models may not adequately address the unique needs and cultural context of athletes, leading to barriers in access and engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of on-site, sports-specific behavioral health services, termed Team Assistance Programs (TAPs), in increasing service utilization among elite athletes.
• To describe the operational model, referral strategies, and utilization patterns of TAPs within professional and collegiate sports settings.

Main Methods:

• The study details the operational experience of two professional TAPs over nine years and one collegiate TAP over three years.
• It examines linkage strategies and collaboration patterns with various sports support staff, including team physicians, trainers, strength coaches, chiropractors, and nutritionists, to facilitate TAP referrals.

Main Results:

• On-site, integrated TAPs demonstrate a viable model for addressing a wide range of athlete needs, from substance abuse prevention and mental health management to performance enhancement and injury rehabilitation.
• Establishing strong collaborative relationships with team medical and conditioning staff is crucial for building trust and ensuring a consistent referral stream to TAPs.

Conclusions:

• Team Assistance Programs (TAPs) represent a promising approach to enhance behavioral health service access and utilization for elite athletes.
• Integration with existing sports support structures and staff is key to the successful implementation and sustained operation of TAPs in professional and collegiate sports environments.