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. b. Recognize, acknowledge, and problem-solve the unique challenges and limitations of virtual/distance/hybrid school counseling. c. Establish procedures, in collaboration with school 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. f. Educate students on how to participate in the electronic school counseling relationship to minimize and prevent potential misunderstandings that could occur due to lack of verbal cues and inability to read body language or other visual cues that provide contextual meaning to the school counseling process and relationship. g. Recognize the challenges in virtual/distance/hybrid settings of assisting students considering suicide, including but not limited to identifying their physical location, keeping them engaged on the call or device, contacting their parents/guardians, and getting help to their location. D. School Counseling Practicum/Internship Site Supervisors f. Are competent with technology used to perform supervisory responsibilities and online supervision, if applicable. Supervisors protect all electronically transmitted confidential information. g. Understand there are differences in face-to face and virtual communication (e.g., absence of verbal and nonverbal cues) that may have an impact on virtual supervision. Supervisors educate supervisees on how to communicate electronically to prevent and avoid potential problems and negative outcomes. h. Provide information about how and when virtual supervisory services will be utilized, and provide school counselors with reasonable access to pertinent applications.
The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors (2022): Technology-Assisted Counseling A. Responsibility to Students A. 15. Technical and Digital Citizenship School counselors: 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. 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. There are many studies on the use of telemental health methodology with the wide variety of applications and the growing popularity of technology-assisted counseling practices. Technology-based practice was essential during the Covid-19 pandemic and continues to be widely used. Recent research has focused on literature reviews on the effectiveness of these methods, attitudes of clinicians on
TELEMENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING: RESEARCH
technology methods, and the impact of technology on ethical issues in practice. These studies are included here to offer positive and negative feedback from clinicians on implementing these methods in practice. These studies can be used to add a practical knowledge base, beyond legal regulations and aspirational principles, to assist the clinician when making decisions about technology assisted practice. discussions of ethics, with 24 pro arguments supporting use as ethical, and 32 arguing the potential for ethical problems related to telemental health. A search of three databases, PubMed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science, was conducted in August 2019 using a specific search protocol yielding 249 publications (Stoll et al., 2020). There are many terms that are used to describe the use of electronics means of communication to deliver counseling
Ethical Practice in Telemental Health: Literature Review The next study provides additional information on ethical considerations concerning technology-assisted practice. The rapidly expanding use of telemental health necessitates a review of the risks and benefits along with ethical
considerations that must be considered. The following study reviewed 249 studies and then sorted them into categories providing arguments for or against the use of telemental health. In addition, some articles dealt specifically with
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Book Code: PCTX1325
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