Recorded on March 25, 2022

Program Offers 3.0 CEs for Psychologists or 3.0 BBS California CEUs for LPCCs, LPSW, and LMFTs.

Workshop Description:

Telehealth, or the delivery of health-related services through the of technology, is continually developing and evolving, based on the changing needs of society. Most recently, COVID-19 has tasked healthcare systems with the rethinking and rapid development of technology-assisted delivery of care (Shachar, Engel, and Elwyn, 2020). Further, mental health concerns and disorders, which are prevalent worldwide, are a major health concern that can go unaddressed, due to cost, logistical or physical access to care, stigma around mental illness, and shortage of professionals (Abuwalla et. al, 2018). Teleheath can eliminate treatment gaps for clients by providing safe, ethical, effective, and accessible options and alternatives for care. For instance, providers have used telehealth for the effective treatment of anxiety, depression, and trauma-and stressor-related disorders in individual therapy formats (Brunnell et. al., 2021; Townley & Yalowich, 2015).

Advances in technology have changed the way that mental health practitioners and practitioner-supervisors can and do conduct therapy sessions and supervision (Lesser, 2021). Paramount to this shift is quality training on ethics and supervision. In order to effectively conduct ethical telehealth, training consideration must be given to scope of practice, standards of care, building effective teletherapeutic relationships, multicultural, legal, and ethical considerations, supervision, and continuing education. This program will provide an overview to the topics above, and how they can be ethically applied to telehealth practice and supervision.

Learning Objectives:

After attending this introductory-level workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the scope of practice for use of telehealth

2. Recite at least two standards of care related to practice of telehealth

3. Describe ethical and effective use of teletherapeutic relationships, including screening, informed consent, disclosure, confidentiality, intervention selection, and boundaries

4. Identify multicultural, ethical, and legal considerations for use of telehealth

5. Describe the role of telesupervision and the supervision of telehealth

Professional Bio of Presenter Susan J. Foster, PhD, Department Chair, Clinical Mental Health Counseling Online, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Dr. Susan Foster currently serves as an Associate Professor in the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Online Program (CMHC Online). She serves as the Department Chair of the Counselor Education Department. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Supervisor in the state of Louisiana, a National Board-Certified Counselor, Approved Clinical Supervisor and Board Certified Telemental Health Provider, a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Dr. Foster received her BA in Psychology and her MA in Counselor Education from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. She received my doctorate from the University of New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana. She also has a Master’s in Legal Studies from the Colleges of Law.

Her professional experience is in community mental health, partial hospitalization units, private practice, the university setting, and the K-12 school setting. She has over 15 years of supervision experience in counseling. She has taught at the university level in both traditional and online universities. Her current research interests are in the areas of technology assisted education, training, supervision, best practices in telehealth, consultation and collaboration, collective self-esteem in diverse populations, professional identity of counselors, trauma, grief, loss, diagnosis and ethics and law in counseling.

Program Standards and Goals:

This program meets APA’s continuing education Standard 1.2: Program content focuses on ethical, legal, statutory or regulatory policies, guidelines, and standards that impact psychological practice, education, or research.

This program meets APA’s continuing education Goal 2: Program will enable psychologists to keep pace with the most current scientific evidence regarding assessment, prevention, intervention, and/or education, as well as important relevant legal, statutory, leadership, or regulatory issues.

Registration and Fees:

General Admission: $60.00

TCSPP Alumni Admission: $30.00

TCSPP Current Site Supervisors & Community Partner Admission: $30.00

TCSPP Faculty, TCSPP Staff, & TCSPP Students: Free

References:

Abuwalla, Z., Clark, M. D., Burke, B., Tannenbaum, V., Patel, S., Mitacek, R., Gladstone, T., & Van Voorhees, B. (2018). Long-term telemental health prevention interventions for youth: A rapid review. Internet Interventions : the Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health, 11(C), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2017.11.006

Bunnell, B. E., Kazantzis, N., Paige, S. R., Barrera, J., Thakkar, R. N., Turner, D., & Welch, B. M. (2021). Provision of care by “real world” telemental health providers. Frontiers in Psychology, NA. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A661060283/HWRC?u=dall6191&sid=bookmark-HWRC&xid=54e9955c

Lesser, J. G. (2021). Telemental health during a pandemic: Third space conversations. Smith College Studies in Social Work, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00377317.2021.1927935

Shachar, C., Engel, J., & Elwyn, G. (2020). Implications for telehealth in a postpandemic future: Regulatory and privacy issues. JAMA, 323(23), 2375–2376. https://doi-org.tcsedsystem.idm.oclc.org/10.1001/jama.2020.7943

Townley, C., & Yalowich, R. (2015). Improving behavioral health access and integration using telehealth & teleconsultation: A health care system for the 21st century. Washington, DC: National Academy for State Health Policy. Retrieve June 19, 2019 http://www.nashp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Telemedicine.pdf

CONTINUING EDUCATION:

Target Audience: All mental health professionals. Supervisors. Graduate students welcome.

Psychologists. This program, when attended in its entirety, is available for 3.0 continuing education credits. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in its continuing education activities. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is also committed to conducting all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles for Psychologists. Participants are asked to be aware of the need for privacy and confidentiality throughout the program. If program content becomes stressful, participants are encouraged to process these feelings during discussion periods. If participants have special needs, we will attempt to accommodate them. Please address questions, concerns and any complaints to Danielle Bohrer at 312-467-2364. There is no commercial support for this program nor are there any relationships between the CE Sponsor, presenting organization, presenter, program content, research, grants, or other funding that could reasonably be construed as conflicts of interest.

MFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs. Course meets the qualifications for 3.0 hour of continuing education credit for MFTs, LPCCs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. If you are licensed outside of California please check with your local licensing agency to to determine if they will accept these CEUs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) to offer continuing education programming for MFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is an accredited or approved postsecondary institution that meets the requirements set forth in Sections 4980.54(f)(1), 4989.34, 4996.22(d)(1), or 4999.76(d) of the Code.

Participation Certificate. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is able to provide students and other participants who simply wish to have documentation of their attendance at the program a participation certificate.

Non Psychologists. Most licensing boards accept Continuing Education Credits sponsored by the American Psychological Association but non-psychologists are recommended to consult with their specific state-licensing board to ensure that APA-sponsored CE is acceptable.

*Participants must attend 100% of the program in order to obtain a Certificate of Attendance.

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content.