by others or used later. (National Association of Social Workers, 2017). ● HIPAA compliant: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), sets the standard for protecting sensitive patient data. Any company that deals with protected health information (PHI) must ensure that all the required physical, network, and process security measures are in place and followed. This includes covered entities (CEs), anyone who provides treatment, payment and operations in healthcare, and business associates (BAs), and anyone with access to patient information who provides support in treatment, payment, or operations. Subcontractors, or business associates of business associates, must also comply. ● HITECH: The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 addresses the privacy and security concerns associated with the electronic transmission of health information, in part, through several provisions that strengthen the civil and criminal enforcement
of the HIPAA rules (HITECH Act Enforcement of Interim Final Rule, 2016). ● Synchronous: Communication which occurs simultaneously in real time. ● Telesupervision: Refers to the practice of clinical supervision through synchronous or asynchronous two-way electronic communication including but not limited to telephone, videoconferencing, email, text, and instant messaging, for the purposes of developing trainee marital and family therapists, evaluating supervisee performance, ensuring rigorous legal and ethical standards within the bounds of licensure, and as a means for improving the profession of marital and family therapy. ● Teletherapy/technology-assisted services: Refers to the practice of marriage and family therapy of diagnosis, evaluation, consultation, intervention, and treatment of behavioral, social, interpersonal disorders through synchronous or asynchronous two-way electronic communication including but not limited to telephone, videoconferencing, email, text, and instant messaging. 6. Informed Consent 7. Acknowledgement of Limitations of Teletherapy 8. Confidentiality of Communication 9. Professional Boundaries Regarding Virtual Presence 10. Impact of Social Media and Virtual Presence on Teletherapy 14. Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Contact with Client(s) 15. HIPAA Security, Web Maintenance, and Encryption Requirements 16. Archiving/Backup Systems 17. Standardized & Non-standardized Testing for Assessment 18. Telesupervision These guidelines include many supporting strategies for each of the 18 components. Before initiating any form of technology- assisted practice or supervision, the entire document should be reviewed along with the regulations in the providers and client’s state, and the HIPAA resources noted in the guidelines. g. Understand challenges with confidentiality when using email and establish protocols and boundaries for responding to emails. h. Advocate for the use of virtual learning tools that include safeguards and protocols protecting highly sensitive student information. i. Advocate against alert tools or apps requiring constant monitoring by school personnel. These tools are not aligned with the nature and function of school counseling. A. 16. Virtual/Distance School Counseling School counselors: a. Adhere to the same legal and ethical standards in a virtual/ distance/hybrid setting as in face-to-face settings. b. Recognize, acknowledge, and problem-solve the unique challenges and limitations of virtual/distance/hybrid school counseling. c. Establish procedures, in collaboration with school 11. Documentation/Record Keeping 12. Payment and Billing Procedures 13. Emergency Management administrators and other support staff, for students to follow in both emergency and nonemergency situations when the school counselor is not available. d. Recognize and address the limitation of virtual/distance/ hybrid school counseling confidentiality, which may include unintended viewers or recipients. e. Inform both students and parents/guardians of the benefits and limitations of virtual/distance/hybrid school counseling.
The Teletherapy and Telesupervision Guidelines II (AMFTRB, 2021). Due to the length of the document, only key concepts are included here:
1. Adhering to Laws and Rules in Each Jurisdiction 2. Training and Continuing Competency Requirements Areas to be covered in training must include, but not be limited tow, the following seven competency domains as researched and identified by (Maheu et al., 2021): Interprofessional Telebehavioral Health Competencies Framework: Implications for Telepsychology Telebehavioral Health Domains: ● Clinical Evaluation and Care ● Virtual Environment and Telepresence ● Technology ● Legal & Regulatory Issues ● Evidence-Based & Ethical Practice ● Mobile Health Technologies Including Application ● Telepractice Development 3. Diversity, Bias, and Cultural Competency 4. Establishing Consent for Teletherapy Treatment 5. Identity Verification of Client a. Advocate for equitable access to technology for all students. b. Demonstrate appropriate selection and equitable use of culturally sustaining technology and software applications to enhance students’ academic, career and social/emotional development. Attention is given to the legal and ethical considerations of technological applications, including confidentiality concerns, security issues, potential limitations and benefits, and communication practices in electronic media. c. Take appropriate and reasonable measures to maintain the confidentiality of student information and educational records stored or transmitted using computers, social media, facsimile machines, telephones, voicemail, answering machines and other electronic technology. d. Promote the safe and responsible use of technology in collaboration with educators and families. e. Promote the benefits and clarify the limitations of various appropriate technological applications. f. Use established and approved means of communication with students, maintaining appropriate boundaries, and help educate students about appropriate communication and boundaries.
The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors (2022): Technology-Assisted Counseling A. Responsibility to Students A. 15. Technical and Digital Citizenship School counselors:
EliteLearning.com/Counselor
Book Code: PCTX1324
Page 36
Powered by FlippingBook