The Thoughtful Counselor’s recent podcast features an interview with Raymond Barrett, founder of the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC.  The Thoughtful Counselor is a podcast that is dedicated to producing great conversations around current topics in counseling and psychotherapy.

During this interview, Ray shares what lead him to the counseling profession and develop the Telehealth Certification Institute.  Ray also shares the key points of ethically and legally providing telebehavioral health services.

You can listen to this conversation by clicking here.

Telehealth services and their availability are expanding rapidly and the state of New York is prepared. Numerous avenues exist for those seeking services and providers are in place as well.

The guidance in this article is based on years of experience navigating Medicare across state lines and understanding that clinicians rendering behavioral health services must have claims billed cleanly to get reimbursed. With all these new changes, there are expected roadblocks in the claim-approval process.  We encourage you to consult with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure the accuracy of your billing practices.

According to The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Human Services (HHS) published their final rule for 2022 and have changed the Medicare physician fee schedule (PFS) along with other Medicare Part B payment policies.

Click here to see the Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule | CMS

Telehealth is a constantly evolving mode of healthcare, and there are numerous aspects of the field in need of clarification so that statutes, policies, and practices follow the same guidelines. Telehealth is not a type of health care, rather it is the manner in which care is given. As the standards for that care become more defined and the use of this mode more prevalent, so will the need for caregivers who are adequately trained and licensed to deliver telehealth.

In 2016, the State of Florida created the Telehealth Advisory Council in order to survey, research and recommend changes to telehealth in order to better serve those living in the state.  The increase in both access and use of telehealth will also require an increase in health care practitioners offering telehealth services.

Vendor Management and Video Chatting Clients

HIPAA compliance for telebehavioral health professionals is essential to running your business in the digital age.

According to HIPAA regulation, telebehavioral health professionals must be fully HIPAA compliant in order to avoid serious violations and government fines.

BA and Vendor Management

One of the most common mistakes healthcare professionals can make is improper vendor management. The HIPAA rules here affect telebehavioral health professionals in particular because of the electronic and digital mediums by which care is given.

Telebehavioral health services for those with eating disorders not only overcome barriers to access but allow clients to receive treatment in their own environments and provide continuity of care.

We just completed a very engaging telebehavioral health training via webinar. There is nothing like spending a total of 12 hours on video conferencing with other great clinicians while learning how to use video conferencing with clients.

Hear what it is like for an expert counselor who specializes in working with clients who have been affected by difficult relationships to provide psychotherapy online.

Dr. Marla Chalnick is a License Professional Counselor and Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC) in North Carolina. She provides counseling via the phone and video conferencing to those with chronic illnesses.

I am excited to announce that the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is now an approved provider for continuing education by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners and the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work.

LCSWs and LMHCs in NY can now earn CE hours while qualifying to become a credentialed telemental health provider.

Collaboration at its best! Two years ago, NASW partnered with ASWB, CSWE, and CSWA. They created the Task Force for Technology Standards in Social Work Practice, which produced a thorough set of standards for the use of technology in social work. In 2016, the task force released a draft for comments to the public. After a careful review of the comments received and many other sources of best practices, they released the NASW, ASWB, CSWE, & CSWA Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice.

I am glad to announce that the Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC, is now approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) as a provider of continuing education.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, 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 as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2021 – 05/02/2024, renewed 05/02/2024 - 05/02/2027.