Telehealth Certification Institute

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Foundations of Telemental Health

Enroll in the Online Self-Study
3 CE Credits available for behavioral health clinicians

Technology is a part of almost everyone’s life, and as such, most behavioral health professionals are quite familiar with the use of technology to provide various services. However, to ensure the best clinical care, professionals must adhere to a high level of competency and use the most ethical and thorough approaches. Most behavioral health workers will benefit from additional knowledge in this area, especially since most school programs focus on providing services in person. 

Whether you have provided online services for years or are brand new to telemental healthcare, this course will deepen your knowledge and skills so you will have a solid foundational understanding of telemental health.  

Course participants will come away with the following: 

  • Awareness of the potential drawbacks and benefits of telemental health services. 
  • Understanding of the legal and ethical aspects of telehealth, including privacy laws and HIPAA standards. 
  • Approaches to choosing and implementing appropriate technology for telemental health services. 
  • Methods to orient and prepare clients to use telemental health. 
  • Specific skills to use for both phone and video sessions.  

This course is full of specific examples, considerations, and approaches for all behavioral health professionals.

"Foundations of TeleMental Health" will address all of the topics specified for the 3 hour telehealth training requirement for clinicans in California, Florida and Louisiana.

Training content and CEs are applicable for clinicians in any state.

Please refer to CE Details for your state and license type.

Select each tab above to view specific details of this course

Technology is a part of almost everyone’s life, and as such, most behavioral health professionals are quite familiar with the use of technology to provide various services. However, to ensure the best clinical care, professionals must adhere to a high level of competency and use the most ethical and thorough approaches. Most behavioral health workers will benefit from additional knowledge in this area, especially since most school programs focus on providing services in person. 

Whether you have provided online services for years or are brand new to telemental healthcare, this course will deepen your knowledge and skills so you will have a solid foundational understanding of telemental health.  

Course participants will come away with the following: 

  • Awareness of the potential drawbacks and benefits of telemental health services. 
  • Understanding of the legal and ethical aspects of telehealth, including privacy laws and HIPAA standards. 
  • Approaches to choosing and implementing appropriate technology for telemental health services. 
  • Methods to orient and prepare clients to use telemental health. 
  • Specific skills to use for both phone and video sessions.  

This course is full of specific examples, considerations, and approaches for all behavioral health professionals.

This course was recorded April 28, 2023

Upon completion of this training professionals will be able to do the following:

  1. List three possible benefits and drawbacks of telemental health.
  2. Explain how licensure law in the United States impacts telemental health services.
  3. List three ethical standards that are specifically related to telemental health.
  4. Describe the process of conducting video and phone therapy sessions from start to finish.

Raymond Barrett, LPC, LMHC

Raymond Barrett is the founder and CEO of the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC (TCI). A licensed mental health counselor (LMHC and LPC), Ray is an innovator and leader in the field of telemental health. He’s an expert telehealth trainer, a respected speaker, and a trusted consultant.

Ray’s inspiration for TCI came from his clients that started asking him to conduct their therapy sessions over the phone. Ray had discovered a knowledge gap in mental health training. He wanted to fill that void with comprehensive and practical training in telemental health - so Ray created that training for himself and fellow clinicians. 

Since 2014, TCI has delivered comprehensive telehealth training and consultation to a global network of more than 40,000 healthcare organizations and professionals. TCI now offers over 180 specialized courses, a vast array of telehealth resources, and ongoing free continuing education opportunities for telehealth providers. Among the most sought-after courses offered by TCI is the Telemental Health Training Certificate (THTC Certificate) program. 

Ray played a significant role in developing the initial curriculum for the Board Certified Telemental Health credential (BC-TMH) for the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). He reviewed every training module. He helped draft content, including questions for exams. He even wrote and developed the initial draft of one of the training modules: Telemental Health Settings and Coordination of Care.

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) - the most respected organization for telehealth - recently overhauled its guidelines. Ray was on the writing committee that developed Best Practices in Synchronous Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health in March 2022.

In 2019, Ray participated in a task force for developing a clinical rating process for mobile apps designed to help treat depression.  The recommendations were presented to ATA.

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides accreditation services worldwide at the request of health and human service providers. As part of the International Standards Advisory Committee (ISAC), Ray helped establish CARF’s standards for virtual services.

Ray also is a frequent speaker and consultant for professional organizations. He has presented for over 20 organizations since 2015.

Credit Hours: This course consists of 3 credit hours, 1 of which is Ethics.

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. Approval renewal date: 1/31/2026

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 this course would be accepted by your licensing board.

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: 05/02/2021 – 05/02/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 3 total credits including 2 clinical and 1 ethics continuing education credits.

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. Approval renewal date: 2/28/2026

Addiction Professionals: Telehealth Certification Institute is an approved provider of continuing education by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals, provider #193104. Full attendance is required; no partial credit will be awarded for partial attendance.

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. Effective 8/31/2021 – 8/31/2024

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. 7/21/2021 – 7/31/2024

Other Professionals: This activity qualifies for 180 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.

To receive your certificate of completion you must complete the course in its entirety.

 To complete an Online Self Study Course, one must register, log in, select the My Courses option from the menu items, click the Course Title, complete all of the modules, complete and pass the post-test(s), and complete the course evaluation.

Psychologists and other professionals seeking CE credit through our approval with the American Psychological Association are asked but not required to complete the course evaluation before obtaining their certificate of completion, however passing a post-test for online self-study courses, and submitting one's attendance for live on-site and live webinars is required.

You can download or print your certificate of completion by logging into your account, navigating to the course by selecting the My Courses option from the menu items, clicking the Course Title, scrolling to the Certificate of Completion section, and clicking on the Certificate of Completion link to either download it or print it.

Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.

Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities

Click here to view our Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.

Cancellation Policy

Refunds are offered within the first 30 days for courses which have not been completed.  There is a 10% service fee for refunds.

Grievance Policy

Click here to view our Grievance Policy.

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

Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

This program was recorded on April 28, 2023

You have six months to access online courses from the time of purchase.

Ray Barrett Headshot

Ray Barrett
CEO, LPC, LMHC

Raymond Barrett is the founder and CEO of the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC (TCI). A licensed mental health counselor (LMHC and LPC), Ray is an innovator and leader in the field of telemental health. He’s an expert telehealth trainer, a respected speaker, and a trusted consultant.

Ray’s inspiration for TCI came from his clients that started asking him to conduct their therapy sessions over the phone. Ray had discovered a knowledge gap in mental health training. He wanted to fill that void with comprehensive and practical training in telemental health - so Ray created that training for himself and fellow clinicians. 

Since 2014, TCI has delivered comprehensive telehealth training and consultation to a global network of more than 40,000 healthcare organizations and professionals. TCI now offers over 180 specialized courses, a vast array of telehealth resources, and ongoing free continuing education opportunities for telehealth providers. Among the most sought-after courses offered by TCI is the Telemental Health Training Certificate (THTC Certificate) program. 

Ray played a significant role in developing the initial curriculum for the Board Certified Telemental Health credential (BC-TMH) for the Center for Credentialing and Education (CCE). He reviewed every training module. He helped draft content, including questions for exams. He even wrote and developed the initial draft of one of the training modules: Telemental Health Settings and Coordination of Care.

The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) - the most respected organization for telehealth - recently overhauled its guidelines. Ray was on the writing committee that developed Best Practices in Synchronous Videoconferencing-Based Telemental Health in March 2022. 

In 2019, Ray participated in a task force for developing a clinical rating process for mobile apps designed to help treat depression.  The recommendations were presented to ATA.

The Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) is an independent, nonprofit organization that provides accreditation services worldwide at the request of health and human service providers. As part of the International Standards Advisory Committee (ISAC), Ray helped establish CARF’s standards for virtual services.

Ray also is a frequent speaker and consultant for professional organizations. He has presented for over 20 organizations since 2015.