Telehealth Certification Institute

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Voices From Professions

Logo ASWB Continuing Education for Social Workers

ASWB Continuing Education for Social Workers

I am glad to announce that the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC, is now approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) as a provider of continuing education.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2021 – 05/02/2024. 

NC Map showing expansion of Telemental health in the State

Telemental health has greatly expanded in NC

North Carolina is greatly utilizing telemental health. The Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP) in NC anticipates connecting eighty or more hospital emergency departments with psychiatric assessments and consultations. Most major insurance companies in NC are reimbursing for telebehavioral health services. The Center for Rural Health Innovation’s Health-e-Schools program provides school-based telehealth services to thirty-three schools in four counties. North Carolina has a proposed telehealth parity law, HB 283. Both Licensed Professional Counselors and Social Workers in North Carolina can now receive supervision hours through the use of technology.

Adults in a room- Continuing Education

Continuing Education

I Graduated Already, Why Do I Have to Take Continuing Education Classes?

You completed your undergraduate program, and then your master’s degree. You might even have completed a Ph.D. program. You took a licensure exam. You worked under supervision for a year or two. Finally, you were fully licensed. 

But you’re not done with your education just yet. In fact, you likely won’t ever be done - not as long as you want to keep practicing in your profession.

Counselors, social workers, psychologists, and psychiatrists - in fact, most healthcare professionals - typically are required to take continuing education classes throughout their careers to maintain licensure. 

You can check your state’s CE requirements here. 

Each state has licensure laws that set minimum continuing education requirements. Why?

Overcoming Barriers to Meet Needs of Military Members and Veterans

Clinicians often wonder, “How can I provide therapy to active-duty military members and veterans?” There is an immense need for comprehensive mental health services among this population and the growing field of telehealth has allowed clinicians more access than ever before to provide services to military personnel, veterans, and their families.

Recently, Ray Barrett sat down for an interview with Dr. Mark Stebnicki, a mental health counselor and instructor for the Clinical Military Counseling Certificate Program, and Randy Phelps, CEO of Give An Hour- a nonprofit organization that provides comprehensive, no-cost mental health services to veterans.

HIPAA-Compliant TeleMental Health

HIPAA-Compliant TeleMental Health

HIPAA and TeleMental Health: Get Compliant!

Is your telemental health practice HIPAA compliant? It’s a question that can cause a knot in the stomach of even the most experienced telemental health professionals. For those just starting out in telehealth, it may even cause a bout of panic. Exactly how does HIPAA impact counselors who are using telehealth? Are the rules different than the rules for in-person therapy?

Even if you’ve taken a continuing education class covering HIPAA, it may not have covered telemental health and you may have questions. 

Let’s start with some basics: 

Working with Children & Adolescents Using Tele-Play Therapy

Dr. Yolanda Fountain, Ph.D., LPC, RPT-S, ACS, NCC, founder of Play Wellness, Inc. developed the Play Wellness Certificate - PLAY THERAPY TRAINING CERTIFICATE (PTTC). Dr. Fountain is also a Registered Play Therapist Supervisor as well as a consultant and educator at numerous universities in Georgia.

In July 2020, Dr. Fountain and Ray Barrett of the Telehealth Certification Institute discussed the use of telemental healthcare with play therapy.

TeleMental Health Terms Sign

Terms for TeleMental Health

What do we call behavioral health sessions where the client and clinician are not in the same location but rely on technology to communicate?

There are so many terms and definitions for this that it often causes confusion. Knowing which term or definition to use is often determined by context. Among other terms used, social workers have used the term technology-assisted social work, psychologists have used the term e-psychology, and counselors have used the term distance counseling. Clinicians who specialize in using texting for therapy have referred to it as text therapy, and providers marketing to tech-savvy clients have used the terms web-based or cyber-counseling.  

PSYPACT Allows for TelePsychology Across State Lines

The Psychological Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) was approved in 2015 by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Board (ASPPB – the alliance of psychology boards in the US and Canada). By definition, a compact is an interstate agreement allowing states to enact legislation and enter a contract for a specific, limited purpose or to address a particular policy issue. One of the greatest advantages of any interstate compact is establishing a solution that uniformly addresses multi-state issues.