Melissa Westendorf – 2-Day: Certified Clinical Telemental Health Provider Training: A Therapist Guide for Ethical, Legal and Technology Concerns when Using Teletherapy

Outline

Research about Telehealth Services

• Here to stay
• It works
• Benefits

Application of Ethical Codes

• Psychologists, social workers, professional counselors
• Building competence
• Technology appropriateness examples

HIPAA

• HIPAA and HITECH
• HIPAA and small providers
• Violations and why they occur

State Law Applications

• State interests for the pros and cons for permitting telehealth
• Cohesive incoherence
  • Examples of statutory guidance
• Risk management guidelines
• Interjurisdictional practice

Efforts to Improve Telehealth Interjurisdictional Practice

• PsyPact
• Others
• Checklist of questions to determine if you can practice across statelines

Case Examples for Using Various Forms of Telehealth Best practices for telehealth

• Selecting the appropriate tools
• Utilizing ATA guidelines
  • Clinical – patient and setting appropriateness
  • Technical – The setting, camera, microphones, and lighting
• Administrative – connectivity, training
• Practical solutions for your therapy

Processes & Procedures

• The intake process
• Informed consent – sample plan, key topics to cover
• Emergency and crisis plans – what to include, medical issues, sample plan

Delivery Platforms Keeping Ethics/HIPAA in Mind

• Asynchronous platforms
• Common elements
• Concerns with platform
  • Synchronous therapy
  • All-in-one services
• Email and texting safely
• Pros and cons
• HIPAA requirements
• Encryption
• Password protection
• VPN
• Electronic communication policy
• Hardware and software safety

Screening and Suitability of the Client

• Benefits of telehealth Services
  • Evidenced-based research
  • Patient and setting contraindications
• The intake, mental status exam, and ongoing Evaluation
• Assessment with clients

Professional Boundary Considerations

• For the client
• For the clinician
  • Crossings versus violations
  • Recommendations for maintaining professional boundaries
• Licensing board complaint examples
• Red Flags for Therapist
• Strategies to Avoid Red Flags
• Recommendations for improving the therapist’s telehealth experience
• Additional Resources

Multicultural Considerations

• Issues to consider
• Geography, settings, populations
• Seeking guidance

Theoretical Considerations for Telehealth

• Evidence-based support
• Which models transition well

Self-Care for the Clinician

• Ethics application
• Causes of burn out
• Warning signs in therapists
• Characteristics of effective self-care
• Strategies and techniques
• Resources

Dos and Don’ts of Social Media

• Using social media to your advantage
• The required social media policy
• Social media and boundaries

The Era of Electronic Records

• Development of the electronic record
• Electronic document storage
• Electronic document destruction

Reimbursement

• Medicare/Medicaid
• Private payer