Telehealth is changing the way that patients can access health care, but when new technology meets decades-old federal regulations, tensions will necessarily arise.

When it comes to the intersection between telehealth and HIPAA regulation, there are many common misconceptions about how to run a telehealth practice while maintaining compliance with federal privacy and security standards.

Before we dive into some of the particularities of HIPAA as they apply to telehealth professionals, let's look at some of the basics of HIPAA regulation.

How necessary is professional liability insurance? What if I own my own business? If there is a breach of client data, am I covered? 

To answer these questions and more, we asked for help from CPH and Associates, a professional liability insurance agency specialized in the mental health field since 2001. Below, CPH shares some common questions they hear from their insureds in relation to malpractice insurance and telehealth specifically.

Anyone can experience stress or sadness due to a variety of factors such as major life changes, work challenges, health or family issues, and a host of other challenges that can be short-term or long-term, intense or mild, frequent or seldom. People who have experienced trauma, anxiety, or depression are often unaware of the effects on their lives and on the lives of those around them; they can become accustomed to it. Some turn to alcohol or other substances in an attempt to  “remedy” the symptoms, causing dependency or substance abuse. Because of this, healthcare teams create tools to assess and screen for these behavioral health symptoms. 

We have compiled a list of Helplines according to various categories. We hope this can be useful to anyone looking for quick access to what could be life-saving information.

In early 2019, the Georgia Senate passed two bills addressing telehealth and telemedicine. Both bills address comprehensive healthcare reform in order to reduce costs, increase access, and enhance quality care for Georgia residents. Since 2006, the state of Georgia has addressed telehealth parity law, and continued to address the need and coordination of telehealth care. The most recent bills (Senate Bill 115 and Senate Bill 118) continue to demonstrate how Georgia legislature has updated and revised existing laws.

"The Medical Practice Act of the State of Georgia" (SB 115) became effective on July 1, 2019. SB 115 allows for the provision of telemedicine licenses for physicians licensed and located outside of Georgia to provide care to patients who are located within the state at the time of service. SB 115 adds a new Code that defines the requirements for a telemedicine license.

Online counseling (aka video counseling, virtual counseling, etc.) can be an excellent way to receive mental health care, and its use is growing for many reasons. If you choose to go this route, here are six steps to a quality video session with your mental health provider:

With the exception of writing letters or sending information via “snail mail”, we all generally communicate over long distances by means of technology.  When counseling services are provided this way, they can be called “distance counseling”.

Therapists occasionally receive requests from prospective clients looking for faith-based or spiritually integrated counseling. Good therapists might know that they are sensitive to a client’s faith and that they can help them, yet they will often refer the client to a therapist who provides a specific faith-informed therapy. There are two good reasons to do this. First, it is important to provide the client with the best fit for what they are seeking. Second, spiritually integrated therapy truly is a specialization requiring a particular set of competencies and supervised experience.  

However, finding a fitting therapist for the client can often be a significant challenge. Conducting a search for a local one, whom the referring therapist has vetted, may yield little to no results. When well-trained, spiritually integrated providers offer teletherapy, this can overcome the search obstacle. Many faith-informed therapists have not begun to provide teletherapy; the thought of launching a telehealth program can feel overwhelming for any provider. Some faith-informed therapists and organizations have successfully faced this task by partnering with people who provide the proper training and support.

Some phone systems market themselves, especially for healthcare organizations, and for good reason. Not all phone systems are the same. One error that clinicians (and therefore clinical practices) often commit is to take the technology they use in their personal lives and bring it into their healthcare practice,  assuming that it is adequate. Traditional phone lines and cellular service are quite secure. However, additional features such as voicemail, faxing, and texting bring added risks to healthcare information. Group practices and larger organizations utilize features such as setting on-call procedures, ring groups, automated attendants, and administrator control over all phone accounts. Clients put their trust in their healthcare providers to protect their private information. Using ordinary or traditional phone lines, voicemail, faxing, and texting can jeopardize patients’ sensitive information.

The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) allows physicians from 43 different Medical and Osteopathic boards to practice medicine across state lines. Interstate compacts exist so that governing agencies from different states or jurisdictions are able to define an agreement which allows for members of their respective regions to operate under a mutual set of regulations.

The Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) allows nurses to have one license to practice in multiple states. An interstate compact allows multiple states to join together and uniformly address common issues and establish guidelines that cross state boundaries to maintain regularity between governing agencies. 

The Psychological Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) is an interstate agreement created by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) to allow licensed psychologists to provide telepsychology and temporary in-person services across state lines — without having to obtain multiple licenses. Initially approved in 2015, PSYPACT became operational in 2019 and continues to expand, enabling greater access to care and professional mobility.

✅ What PSYPACT Allows

Licensed psychologists in PSYPACT-participating states can:

• Provide telepsychology across state lines with an E.Passport and Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT)

• Offer temporary in-person, face-to-face services (up to 30 workdays per year per state) with an Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate (IPC)

These credentials streamline practice across jurisdictions while maintaining accountability, professional standards, and public protection.

🟢 E.Passport Requirements (Telepsychology)

To apply for the E.Passport, psychologists must meet the following:

• Hold a current, active license in at least one PSYPACT-participating state

• Have a doctoral degree in psychology from:

• An APA or CPA accredited program, or

• A program designated by ASPPB/NRHSP, or

• A NACES-recognized foreign credential evaluation service

• Pass the EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) with a qualifying score

• Submit graduate transcripts directly from the institution to ASPPB

• Have no disciplinary actions on any psychology license

🔁 Renewal Requirements

• Renew annually

• Submit:

• Proof of current active licensure in a PSYPACT state

• Renewal fee

• 3 hours of CE related to the use of technology in psychology (CE may include academic coursework or approved sponsor CE)

📄 View the E.Passport Quick Guide (PDF)

🟡 IPC Requirements (Temporary In-Person Practice)

Psychologists who wish to provide up to 30 days/year of in-person services in a PSYPACT state where they are not licensed must:

• Hold an active license in an ASPPB jurisdiction

• Apply for and obtain the IPC

• Notify the PSYPACT Commission before beginning services in another state

• Renew the IPC annually

🌎 Current PSYPACT Member States

As of May 2025, over 40 states, along with the District of Columbia and select territories, are active PSYPACT participants.

To view the latest interactive map of member states:
🔗 PSYPACT Map

🤝 Benefits of PSYPACT

For psychologists:

• Seamless interstate practice

• Avoids redundancy of multiple state licenses

• Supports continuity of care

For clients:

• Greater access to specialized services

• Continuity during relocation

• Improved access in underserved or rural areas

📚 Related Reading: CE Hours Requirements

If you're planning to practice under PSYPACT, you must stay current on continuing education expectations. For a full breakdown of CE hours and helpful course recommendations, read our new article:

👉 Continuing Education Hours for Psychologists Practicing Under PSYPACT