Course Summary
Practice Level: Intermediate
IMPORTANT: Attention California professionals: Mental health professionals licensed (or seeking license) in California looking to meet the required three hours of coursework in the provision of mental health services via telehealth should not take this course, and instead they should take Ethics and Telemental Health for California Mental Health Providers.
Attention Florida Professionals: This course may be used to meet the ethics requirement, but NOT the telehealth requirement. If you are looking to meet the telehealth requirement please take Telemental Health Practice (ASWB accreditation) or Telemental Health Practice (APA, NBCC or NAADAC accreditations).
Prior to the pandemic, telemedicine was gaining traction but usually only in select instances and geographic areas. The use of telehealth necessitated by the pandemic has transformed into a more permanent way of providing care in many settings.
The healthcare industry is widely experiencing a digital transformation and behavioral health practitioners are adjusting quickly to the demands of providing services via virtual platforms. However, this type of service provision carries unique ethical challenges. Through the use of potential scenarios, literature review, and discussion, this learning material will address the technology competencies, specific ethical challenges, requirements, and demands of telehealth services. This course is designed for human services and mental healthcare practitioners, including social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists.
Course Format
This course contains downloadable online lessons (PDF) and a practice test. When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.
Learning Objectives
- Define terminology basic to telemental health, computers, and technology.
- Differentiate types of computer security measures.
- Identify common ethical nuances of telehealth service delivery.
- Describe best practices in telemental health.
- Recognize risk management and ethical conduct in telemental health with children, couples, families, and groups as well as in the provision of supervision via videoconferencing.
- Identify relevant information related to telehealth from legislative bodies, professional standards, and ethics codes from the NASW, APA, ACA, and NBCC.
Course Syllabus
Introduction
A Shift to Telehealth
Computer Basics
Computer Terminology Basics
Computer Security
Telemental Health Technology Basics
Types of Technology
Telemental Health Practice Technology Considerations
Secured Versus Unsecured Technology
Platforms
Commonly Used Technology in Psychotherapy
Common Telehealth Ethical Encounters
Challenges Unique to Telehealth Sessions
Creating an Informed Consent Form for Telehealth
Best Practices in Telemental Health
Offer Orientation to the Technology Before Beginning Treatment
Video Etiquette
Video Space
Video Presentation Skills
Risks of Teletherapy
Multicultural Considerations
Risk Management in Documenting Telehealth Encounters
Ethical Issues in Telehealth with Children, Couples, and Groups
Working with Children Virtually
Working with Couples and Families
Group Counseling via Telehealth
Supervision via Videoconferencing
Standards Pertinent to Telehealth
Practicing Across State Lines
Telehealth Training
Summary
References
Authors
Claudia Dewane, LICSW, D.Ed.
Claudia Dewane, D.Ed., LCSW is a retired Associate Professor in the School of Social Work, Temple University, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She received a Doctorate in Adult Education and Health Psychology from Penn State University, and a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University. She has a Certificate in Advanced Clinical Supervision from Smith College School of Social Work. She is the founder of Clinical Support Associates, providing supervision, consultation and training to professional social workers. She has presented numerous workshops on clinical, supervisory, and ethical issues in social work. She worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for several years in clinical, supervisory and policy capacities. She currently works as a therapist and clinical supervisor.
Teresa Crowe, PhD, LICSW
Teresa Crowe, PhD, LICSW is a licensed clinical social worker in the District of Columbia and Maryland. She is a professor of social work at Gallaudet University and teaches practice, theory, and research in the MSW program. Her recent research focuses on deaf and hard of hearing populations, especially in the areas of behavioral health, intimate partner violence, telemental health, well-being, and help-seeking.
Accreditation Approval Statements
CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/08/21-08/08/24. Social workers completing this course receive 3 ethics continuing education credits.
CE4Less.com has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6991. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE4Less.com is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Courses have been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345 CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programming.
We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.
