Joni Gilbertson – Telehealth Certification Training for Mental Health Professionals
Description of Telehealth Certification Training for Mental Health Professionals
The use of technology is a common expectation of clients in today’s world (and a requirement for some clients). Providing distance therapy services makes sense for your practice, but understanding all the legal, ethical, business and in-session challenges can seem daunting.
What are all the legal and ethical risks? Is distance therapy effective? How do I even get started? – Watch this recording and get the answers to your questions!
Providing distance therapy services will allow you to gain access to more clients and provide quality care for your clients wherever they are.
By completing this Distance Therapy Training Course, you’ll obtain a complete walkthrough of the whole process. You’ll learn:
- The key terminology, evidence, benefits and risks.
- The unique legal and ethical concerns associated, such as privacy, security and crossing state lines.
- The policies, procedures and best practices you need to know to get started and while protecting your professional liability.
- How to navigate challenging telehealth business questions involving marketing, payments, billing and insurance.
- Demonstrations of the technology options and strategies for how to use them effectively.
What you’ll learn in Telehealth Certification Training for Mental Health Professionals
Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals: What You Need to Know Before You Get Started
- The Types of Telehealth
- Synchronous Format – Live Interaction via Video
- Asynchronous Format – Transfers of Information Electronically
- Evidence Supporting the Effectiveness of Telehealth for Clients and Various Populations
- The Benefits and Risk for Telehealth
- Recent Trends in Telehealth
Legal & Ethical Issues
- Following a Code of Ethics
- Legal Implications of Practicing Across State Lines
- Privacy & Security
- HIPAA Compliance Concerns
- Documentation & Paperwork Issues
- Ensure Data Protection & Avoid Unintended Access/Disclosure
- The Client’s Perception of Privacy via Videoconferencing
- Boundary Issues More Likely to Arise in Telehealth
- Multicultural Issues in Telehealth
- Technology Competence of the Clinician and Client
How to Start Your Mental Health Telepractice
- Offering Your Telehealth Services – Where to Begin?
- How to Introduce the Concept to Clients
- Who is a Good Fit for Telehealth? Who is Not?
- Administrative Responsibilities
- Policies & Procedures Consideration – Protect Yourself and Your License
- Informed Consent – Unique Concerns & Best Practices
- Intake Process – Tips You Need to Know
- Emergency Plan for Telehealth
- Client Interviewing & Assessment Techniques
- Videoconferencing vs. Telephone
- Best Practices for Professionalism
- Camera Placement, Background, Proximity & Dress Attire
- Handling Technical Issues
Important Business Aspects to Consider
- Marketing Concerns with Telehealth Practice
- Billing & Reimbursement Strategies – Is This Covered Under My Client’s Insurance Policy?
- Payment Fee Structure Considerations
- Communication of Payment Structure to Client
- Professional Liability Insurance – Telehealth Covered?
- Client Expectations & How They Differ Versus In-Person Therapy
- Financial, Accounting & Tax Concerns
- Giving and Getting Referrals – Issues for Telepractice
Choosing a Platform – What Technology is Right for You and Your Clients?
- An Overview of the Various Platforms Available
- Demonstrations of Key Features
- How to Assess What Features are Important for You
- Cost Comparisons
- What Legal Assurances Do I Need from A Platform Provider?
- Client Considerations When Choosing a Platform
- What Technology is My Client Using & Where From?
Demonstrations of Telehealth in Practice
- A Guided Tour of How to Begin a Telehealth Videoconferencing Session
- What Videoconferencing Looks Like in Practice
- Key Techniques to Enhance the Telehealth In-Session Experience
- Presentation Skills & Tips
Additional Technology Considerations
- Text Message & Email Telehealth – Security, Privacy & Expectations
- Cloud Storage – What are the legal issues?
- Virtual Reality – What You Need to Know
Treatment Adaptations to Consider for Telehealth
- Disorders
- Discuss Key Adjustments Recommended for Practicing Telehealth for Different Disorders
- Populations
- Evidence & Best Practices for Tailoring Telehealth to a Variety of Clients
- Important Adaptations for Groups or Couples
- Modalities
- Which Modalities Most Easily Apply to Telehealth & Which Could Use Adaptions
Case Studies of Telehealth Successes & Failures
- Examples of the Do’s and Don’ts That Can Make or Break Your Telepractice
The Future of Telehealth for Mental Health Professionals
- Possible Future New Rules & Regulations
- Up & Coming Technology Trends to Be Aware Of
- What Distance Therapy Might Look Like in 10 years
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Case Managers
- Addiction Counselors
- Therapists
- Marriage & Family Therapists
- Nurses
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Objectives
- Appraise the legal and ethical challenges posed by telehealth for mental health professionals in a clinical setting.
- Analyze the evidence supporting the effectiveness of telemental health as it relates to clinical treatment.
- Inspect the unique policies and procedures considerations for telehealth and the clinical implications.
- Evaluate adaptions with telemental health for various populations to improve clinical outcomes.
- Investigate the privacy, security and confidentiality concerns related to technology use in clinical practice.
- Differentiate how client expectations differ for telehealth as compared to in-person therapy and what that means for clinical treatment.
- Distinguish unique boundary issues that arise in a telemental health setting.
- Utilize specific adaptations that are recommended for various disorders and modalities to improve clinical outcomes.
- Appraise text messaging and email complications as it relates to privacy in a clinical setting.
- Apply best ethical practices regarding referrals and advertising concerns as it relates to clinical practice.
- Articulate the legalities of practicing across state lines via telemental health sessions.
- Specify the HIPAA compliance challenges associated with telemental health and its clinical implications.
About Joni Gilbertson
Joni Gilbertson, MA, NCC, LCPC, LMHC, BC-TMH, CTMH, is a licensed clinical professional counselor, Board-Certified Telemental Health Provider and the owner/ founder of COPE Counseling Services, LLC where she uses telemental health to assist individuals, couples and families with everyday coping in areas such as relationships, depression, suicide, and anger management. She is licensed as a mental health professional both in Illinois and Florida while presently residing in Florida.
Joni completed over twenty trainings in telehealth and edited sixteen plus online courses for telemental health. She is a certified trainer in clinical telemental health, mental health first aid, and motivational interviewing. She is also certified in domestic violence facilitation and selective other methods that enhance client awareness. She regularly uses distance counseling to work with diverse populations by using video sessions and other technologies. She started one of the first telehealth programs for court-ordered clients and has over ten years of experience with using video sessions for programs such as domestic violence and anger management.
Joni also has experience supervising a mental health staff within a hospital setting and supervising interns within her clinical practice. For many years she trained mental health agencies, children and family services, first responders, employees at jails, prisons, and detention centers on mental health topics and legal and ethical matters of relative concern to each population. As a former Chief of Probation and Probation Officer, she was responsible for designing and training staff members on mental health issues such as suicide awareness, personality disorders, substance use disorders and treatment strategies.
Joni is a recently retired college instructor who worked within the Sociology Department where she designed and instructed seventeen mental health and legal issues classes. She was recently nominated and presented with an award for “Teachers Who Make a Difference” due to her engaging and dynamic style of teaching. She makes learning an enjoyable experience with her passion for the topic of using technology for mental health.
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