Tele-Therapy is a modality of providing Outpatient Mental Health Counseling via www.SecureVideo.com, www.Doxy.me.com, Microsoft TEAMS, or TherapyNotes, all of which are HIPAA Compliant tele-conferencing systems. Tele-Therapy psychotherapy includes the practice of diagnosis, treatment, education, goal setting, accountability, referral to resources, problem solving, skill training, and help with decision making through the use of internet-based videoconferencing or phone calls. Tele-Therapy may include psychotherapy care, consultation, coaching, and/or counseling. Tele-therapy will occur primarily through interactive audio, video, and telephone communications.
The policy of Serenity Behavioral Health Services is to try to complete the first session in person, in the office, if and whenever possible. Then utilizing Tele-Therapy via the internet for on-going counseling services, especially for crisis sessions, sick days, bad weather days and when clients are out of town on personal matters.
Serenity Behavioral Health Services has taken substantial steps to ensure the confidentiality and privacy of therapy provided online. There are risks related to tele-therapy services. There can be technological failure, such as unclear video, loss of sound, poor connection, or loss of connection. Nonverbal cues may be less readily available to both the therapist and the client. The benefits of tele-therapy may include: 1. Less limitations by geographical locations; 2. Reduction of travel to a physical office, which includes decrease in travel time; 3. Participation in therapy from your own home or the environment of your choosing. Therapists are only licensed in Ohio and clients must legally reside in Ohio in order to receive tele-therapy services from their therapist. The current laws that protect privacy and confidentiality also apply to tele-therapy. Any exceptions to confidentiality are described in the Informed Consent document. All existing laws regarding client access to mental health information and copies of mental health records apply. No permanent video or voice recordings are kept from tele-therapy sessions. Clients may not record or store video conference sessions or face to face sessions.
For the best outcome from Tele-therapy sessions, it is highly recommended that the therapist and client will: 1. have an internet connection of 384 kb or higher; 2. Screen resolutions of 640x360 at 30 frames per second; 3. Operational web camera HD 1080p is recommended; 4. Proper lighting and seating to ensure a clear image of each person’s face; 5. Dress and environment appropriate to an in-office visit; 6. Only agreed upon participants will be present. The presence of any individuals unapproved by both parties and not part of the treatment plan will be cause to termination of the session; 7. The client must disclose the physical address of their location at the start of the session. Unknown location will be cause for termination of the session. This is to ensure we are “meeting” at a place that will protect your confidentiality (no coffee shops, grocery stores, etc). We may not meet while you are driving.; 8. The client shall also provide a phone number where they can be reached in the event of service disruption. Cell phone bandwidth and screen resolutions are sufficient.
Tele-therapy may not be the most effective form of treatment for certain individuals or presenting problems. Arrangements to meet via tele-therapy must be made in advance. Therapists reserve the right to reject requests to meet via tele-therapy if they do not think the situation is appropriate.
Should technical difficulties cause session disruption, the therapist will contact the client via preferred telephone contact. If the technical difficulties can be resolved quickly, the sessions will resume, and the client will not experience a shortened session length. If the technical issues cannot be resolved in a timely manner, the session will be rescheduled for a time when functionality is restored. The client will be contacted by telephone to develop a plan for continuation of the session.
Payment – The copay for Tele-Therapy is the same as the copay for in-person office visits.
Contact between sessions – Video conference technology is reserved for therapy sessions only. If a situation occurs between sessions, where you need to talk to your therapist, please email or call your therapist or our office at 614-948-3273.
Serenity Behavioral Health Services cannot guarantee the security of any internet transmissions or communications. Client agree to take full responsibility for the security of any communications or treatment on my own computer and in my physical location. I agree to release and indemnify Serenity Behavioral Health Services from all suits, claims and other actions originating from any services provided by Serenity Behavioral Health Services.