Treating Patients with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Via Telehealth

Description

Supporting patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities is never one-size-fits-all—especially through a screen. Yet when done right, telehealth becomes not a barrier but a breakthrough, offering unique opportunities for connection, comfort, and care.

For behavioral health professionals navigating the complexities of telehealth, this course offers tested strategies that make virtual care more effective, more engaging, and more empowering—for both clinicians and the individuals they serve.

Dr. Felissa Goldstein, MD, a triple board-certified psychiatrist and Director of Telehealth Services at Norton Children’s Medical Group, brings a wealth of experience in treating patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her expertise in child and adolescent psychiatry, telepsychiatry, and complex care makes her uniquely qualified to guide clinicians through the nuanced challenges and rewards of telehealth with this population.

With a practical and compassionate approach, Dr. Goldstein translates research and clinical experience into real-world solutions. Her focus is on what works—in live sessions, with nonverbal patients, in managing behavioral escalations, and in building therapeutic rapport through a screen.

This course covers how telehealth can support diagnosis, psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and behavioral interventions for patients with autism and other developmental disabilities. Topics include using functional communication training, preparing caregivers, adapting virtual assessments, setting up the environment for success, minimizing agitation, and working effectively with nonverbal or hyperactive individuals.

Key Takeaways:

• Practical telehealth adaptations: Learn specific ways that telehealth technology can be leveraged to improve care delivery for patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

• Individualized strategies for engagement: Understand how to tailor appointments based on sensory needs, communication styles, and behavioral tendencies.

• Proactive planning and collaboration: Gain insight into partnering with families and caregivers to reduce stress and create safe, productive telehealth visits.

Why this course?

• Real-world relevance: This course tackles the exact challenges clinicians face when delivering care to individuals with developmental disabilities—especially in remote settings.

• Expert-led instruction: Dr. Goldstein brings clinical depth and compassion that goes beyond textbook knowledge, helping you implement what you learn right away.

• Trusted provider: Telehealth Certification Institute is dedicated to equipping behavioral health professionals with quality, relevant, and actionable continuing education.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the different ways telehealth facilitates the care of patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities

• Specify the unique considerations that come from working with patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities via videoconferencing.

• List tips and pearls for working with patients with special needs, including patients who are nonverbal or aggressive.

If you’ve ever left a telehealth session wondering what more you could have done—or wished you had a better game plan for a tough appointment—this course was built for you.

Enroll now in transforming how we reach, support, and empower patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities through telehealth.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course that was recorded from a live webinar presented by Dr. Felissa Goldstein, MD. Instruction consists of 1 hour of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Dr. Felissa Goldstein, MD

Dr. Felissa Goldstein is a board certified adult, adolescent and child psychiatrist and the Director of Telehealth Services at the Norton Children's Medical Group Division of Behavioral and Mental Health. She is an assistant professor at the University of Louisville in the Department of Pediatrics. She has extensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disabilities. She did her Psychiatry residency and Child Psychiatry fellowship at the University of Kentucky. She completed her Doctorate of Medicine from the Medical College of Ohio and completed her Bachelor of Arts at Goucher College. Her clinical interests include patients with developmental disabilities, telepsychiatry, integrated medicine and patients with complex medical and psychiatric issues. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering in the community, cooking, traveling and reading.

Disclosure Statement:  

The instructor(s) for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 1 continuing education hour of credit.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the 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-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the 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-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, 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: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1 clinical continuing education credit.

Telehealth Certification Institute, 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-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, effective 2/23/2021. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 60 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement