Ethical and Legal Guidelines for Telehealth Service Delivery
Hours: 1.25
Telehealth service delivery is becoming increasingly popular within the behavioral health field. A 2020 study indicates that up to 87% of behavioral health providers in the United States are providing telehealth services to their clients, which is a dramatic increase from 2019. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic expansion of telehealth services as providers continue to deliver care amid social distancing recommendations and mandatory closures.
This course will offer a blend of ethical and legal information, clinical vignettes, and strategies that can later be applied in therapeutic settings. The content of this course includes information about informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, boundaries, mandatory reporting, and rules for sharing information. The course assumes the learner has a basic understanding of telehealth technologies and formats. To learn more, you can search the Relias library for additional courses related to telehealth.
The goal of this course is to provide addictions professionals, behavioral health counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses in health and human services settings with strategies and information for competent and ethical telehealth practice.
Telehealth service delivery is becoming increasingly popular within the behavioral health field. A 2020 study indicates that up to 87% of behavioral health providers in the United States are providing telehealth services to their clients, which is a dramatic increase from 2019. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic expansion of telehealth services as providers continue to deliver care amid social distancing recommendations and mandatory closures.
This course will offer a blend of ethical and legal information, clinical vignettes, and strategies that can later be applied in therapeutic settings. The content of this course includes information about informed consent, confidentiality, privacy, boundaries, mandatory reporting, and rules for sharing information. The course assumes the learner has a basic understanding of telehealth technologies and formats. To learn more, you can search the Relias library for additional courses related to telehealth. The goal of this course is to provide addictions professionals, behavioral health counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists, social workers, and nurses in health and human services settings with strategies and information for competent and ethical telehealth practice.
American Psychological Association
.jpg)
As a Jointly Accredited organization, Relias LLC is approved to offer co-sponsored psychology continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA is an associate member of Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education.
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Illinois Professional Counselor/Clinical Counselor
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
National Board for Certified Counselors
Relias, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.6110. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Relias , LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Ohio Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Provider # RTX050401 (CEBroker Provider 50-290)
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours
Ohio Professional Counselor Board
Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Provider # RCX100502 (CEBroker Provider: 50-290)
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Ohio Social Worker Board
Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CEBroker Provider # 50-290)
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Oklahoma Licensed Professional Counselors
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Oklahoma Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Association of Social Work Boards
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Relias LLC 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 under this program. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Relias LLC maintains responsibility for this course. Social workers completing this course receive 1.25 Ethics continuing education credits.
Course Delivery Format: Asynchronous Distance Learning-interaction includes quizzes with questions and answers, post-tests. This module is Reading-Based Online.
New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, Division of Professional Licensing Services, Social Work Unit
Relias, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0009.
Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of licensed master social work and licensed clinical social work in New York. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice for an LMSW and LCSW. A licensee who practices beyond the authorized scope of practice could be charged with unprofessional conduct under the Education Law and Regents Rules.
As a provider of online, asynchronous education, some courses offered by Relias Learning are considered “self-study” under section 74.10(c)(2)(ii)(b)(4) of the Commissioner’s Regulations. The regulations limit self-study activities taken from a provider approved by the Education Department to no more than 12 hours in the 36-month registration period or one-third of the hours in a registration period other than 36 months.
Social workers will receive 1.25 continuing education hours for participating in this course. This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Florida Board of Psychology
Florida Board Of Psychology (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Psychologists will receive 1.0000 hours.
Illinois, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Marriage and Family Therapist Continuing Education Sponsor
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, State Board for Mental Health Practitioners, Mental Health Counselors (MHC)
Relias, LLC, is recognized by New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0011
As a provider of online, asynchronous education, some courses offered by Relias, LLC are considered "self-study". The regulations limit self-study activities taken from a provider approved by the Education Department to no more than 12 hours in the 36-month registration period or one-third of the hours in a registration period other than 36 months.
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, State Board for Mental Health Practitioners, Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT)
Relias, LLC, is recognized by New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. #MFT-0009
As a provider of online, asynchronous education, some courses offered by Relias are considered "self-study". The regulations limit self-study activities taken from a provider approved by the Education Department to no more than 12 hours in the 36-month registration period or one-third of the hours in a registration period other than 36 months.
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners
South Carolina Board of Social Work Examiners (CEBroker Provider 50-290)
New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, State Board of Psychology
Louisiana Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Michigan Certification Board for Addiction Professionals
Education hours MCBAP-R
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals
This course has been approved by Relias LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for 1.25 CE. NAADAC Provider #86124, Relias, LLC is responsible for all
aspects of their programming.
Breining Institute for Registered Addiction Specialists
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals
Provider approved by CCAPP, Provider number 1S-06-729-0220 for 1.25 CEH's
Missouri Credentialing Board
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
California Association of DUI Treatment Programs
Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board
Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Content Area: C9
Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors
Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers/Marriage & Family Therapists
This activity is approved for 1.0000 contact hours.
National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Association of Social Work Boards - New Jersey
Ethical and Legal Guidelines for Telehealth Service Delivery, Course #4041, is approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program to be offered by Relias, LLC as an individual course. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE course approval period: 04/26/2022 to 04/26/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 1.2500 Ethics continuing education credits.
New Jersey social workers not pleased with a grievance resolution provided by Relias Learning, LLC may appeal to the approving entity or their jurisdictional board.
Course Delivery Method and Format: Reading-based asynchronous distance
California Association of Alcohol and Drug Educators
Relias Learning is an approved provider of Continuing Education. Provider number: CP40 910 H 0318 for 1.25 CEHs.
Pennsylvania Certification Board
PCB Approved Education
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Oklahoma Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors
Connecticut Certification Board
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Commission for Case Manager Certification
This program has been pre-approved by The Commission for Case Manager Certification to provide 1.2500 hours of Ethics continuing education credit to CCM® board certified case managers.
Massachusetts Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
This activity is approved for 1.25 contact hours.
Name the key sources of information that inform ethical and legal telehealth service delivery.
Identify at least two competencies required for delivering telehealth services.
List specific steps for ensuring confidentiality, informed consent, appropriate boundaries, mandated reporting, and sharing of information within telehealth service delivery.
Describe common ethical missteps and legal problems that arise with telehealth service delivery and how providers can avoid these issues.
Outline:
Section 1: Introduction
About This Course
Learning Objectives
Section 2: Overview of Telehealth
Meet Paula
What is Telehealth?
Trends in Telehealth
Benefits and Challenges of Telehealth
Barriers to Telehealth Access
Key Sources of Telehealth Regulation
Billing and Reimbursement
Expanded Telehealth Coverage
Review
Summary
Section 3: Ethics and Competencies for Telehealth Practice
Why Professional Ethics are Important to Telehealth
Technological Competence
Telehealth Competencies
Boundaries in Telehealth
Determining If Telehealth is Appropriate
Client Safety and Telehealth
Self-Care and Telehealth Practice
Review
Summary
Section 4: Legal Considerations in Telehealth Practice
Avoiding Legal Pitfalls
Licensing
Informed Consent
Mandatory Reporting, Duty To Warn and Protect
HIPAA
Privacy and Confidentiality
Documentation and Record Storage
Release of PHI
Fraud in Telehealth
Business Associate Agreements
Selecting a Telehealth Platform
Telehealth Software and Hardware
Plan for Technology Failure
Review
Summary
Section 5: Conclusion
Summary
Course Contributor
Resources
References
Congratulations!
Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Professional Writing from The College of New Jersey and a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University. She is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and has particular interest in resilience and secondary traumatic stress among behavioral health providers. The majority of Stephanie’s work has included behavioral health counseling and medical case management. Stephanie served as part of the National Health Service Corps from 2016-2018, providing outpatient counseling to underserved populations including military service members and their families. Stephanie has designed and delivered training on many topics such as LGBTQIA+ sensitivity, youth suicide prevention, and how to provide in-community services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Disclosure: Stephanie L. Furness-Kraft, LCSW, CCTP has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
The target audience for this course is: Alcohol and Drug Counselors; Entry level Psychologists; Intermediate level Marriage and Family Therapists; Intermediate level Professional Counselors; Intermediate level Social Workers; Nurses; in the following settings: Health and Human Services.
Asynchronous/Online Distance Learning; please see certificate details for specifics on delivery format.
Relias has a grievance policy in place to facilitate reports of dissatisfaction. Relias will make every effort to resolve each grievance in a mutually satisfactory manner. In order to report a complaint or grievance please contact Relias.
If you require special accommodations to complete this module, please contact Relias Support by completing the web form (https://www.relias.com/help) or by using the chat functionality.
All courses offered by Relias, LLC are developed from a foundation of diversity, inclusiveness, and a multicultural perspective. Knowledge, values and awareness related to cultural competency are infused throughout the course content.
Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply any endorsement, recommendation, or favoring of, or affiliation with, Relias, LLC.
All characteristics and organizations referenced in the following training are fictional. Any resemblance to any actual organizations or persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.
To earn continuing education credit for this course you must achieve a passing score of 80% on the post-test and complete the course evaluation.
If you require special accommodations to complete this module, please contact Relias Customer Support here.
