Crisis and Post-Crisis Virtual Mental Health Care: A Scoping Review

Crisis services are often a first point of contact for individuals needing mental health assessment and intervention. The rapid expansion of virtual care in recent years has enabled remote assessment and introduced novel ways to support crisis stabilization in the community. This scoping review aims to summarize the extent of the literature on virtual crisis assessment and intervention models.

PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and ProQuest databases were searched for English- and French-language literature published between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2024. Database search results were imported into the online Covidence review management program. A minimum of two reviewers screened titles and abstracts. Target information was extracted from included full texts and summarized thematically across study characteristics and outcomes.

A total of 5,345 titles were reviewed, with 45 publications included. Publications represented models from around the globe supporting youth and/or adult service users. Data synthesis highlighted the feasibility and potential for virtual care models supporting comprehensive crisis assessment (services that go beyond hotline de-escalation and triage), inpatient admission alternatives, and post-crisis follow-up.

The available literature suggests that virtual crisis care options are growing, especially during and in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although few rigorous evaluations exist, there is strong evidence of feasibility with emerging and encouraging evidence for effectiveness. Further research focused on outcomes, comparisons of virtual and in-person models, and cost-effectiveness is warranted. Additional research could focus on virtual care models for the geriatric population, which is underrepresented in the available literature.