The AAMFT Blog

The Private Pay Private Practice

This content is provided by zynnyme, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the view of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy.

The landscape of private practice has evolved rapidly since we have been coaching since 2010. We now have tech companies and directories that therapists can work for, online therapy software and companies, laws shifting for providing therapy across state lines, insurance companies that are changing how they do billing and so much more. Yet, even with these changes, the options for structuring your private practice remain to be - private pay, insurance-based, and hybrid.

Private pay practices have a cash fee and do not involve third-party payors in their practice at all. They may provide a superbill, but it is up to the client if they allow a third-party payor’s involvement. Insurance-based practices that exclusively take insurance are often working with billing companies or software to communicate with third-party payors. With many tech companies showing up in the therapy space, some of them are supporting these billing processes, negotiating fees, and managing the claw backs. Lastly, a hybrid practice is one that has a combination of both private pay and insurance provider involvement.

Is one of these options better than the other? Not necessarily. The key is choosing a structure that is profitable and sustainable for you. Profitable meaning that it provides a decent living wage for you and anyone you hire. Sustainable meaning that you can do business without it negatively impacting you, your clients, and your community. You want to look at doing this work in a way that allows for excellent outcomes, ethical practice and that doesn’t burn you out physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

There is no moral high ground for taking insurance. The variance from therapist to therapist shows us that not one single private practice is the same. We all have different circumstances and privileges at play when determining our private practice structure. What is most ethical is to choose that which is best for the client and for the therapist.

That said, many cannot afford to take insurance exclusively or in a hybrid model. If you have longed to be independent, not involving insurance companies in the therapeutic relationship, we want to explore how to make your private pay practice a possibility.

Pillar 1:  Solid Systems for Private Pay

It’s time to ditch the hustle culture and really look at how many hours you can healthily give to your business, beyond your direct client work. Working nonstop is not what will get you a private pay practice. First start with honoring your energy and time and give to the practice what is sustainable for you. Having systems in place is what will help you find flow in working in your private pay practice. Some of the key systems every private pay practice needs are a consultation and onboarding process, financial plan, business plan, marketing systems, and self-care systems. All of these systems work together to make private pay more easeful in your practice.

The Do's and Don'ts of HIPAA-Compliant Billing

This content is provided by SimplePractice, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the views of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy. To view the original post, visit SimplePractice's website. 

When you hear HIPAA, you might think about medical reports, treatment plans, or progress notes. But did you know that HIPAA-privacy regulations also cover how you get paid for therapy? It’s true! Whether you’re billing for self-pay or insurance sessions, your billing process must be HIPAA-compliant. 

This is especially important when you’re offering telehealth or teletherapy services since you’re not accepting payment at the point of service as you would with in-person appointments.

How to Ensure Compliance Every Step of the Way 

The basics of billing actually are simple: provide a service, generate an invoice, superbill, or claim, share with the payer (client or insurance company), and then get paid for your work. Here’s each step you need to consider to make sure you’re complying with HIPAA regulations.

1. Generate an invoice, superbill, or claim.

You can’t use just any invoicing software for this. It’s important to do the investigative work to determine if your invoicing software is HIPAA-compliant. For example—QuickBooks^®, Wave, PayPal, and Zelle^® do not meet HIPAA requirements. 

Certain vendors, like Venmo, even have explicit language in their Terms of Use that forbids the use of their software for healthcare-related transactions. This means many different types of practices—like speech therapy—can’t safely use this payment solution.

While using payment processors does not fall under the HIPAA regulation, invoicing and billing needs to comply with HIPAA requirements. By using SimplePractice, customers are already protected because they have a signed BAA with SimplePractice from the second they sign up for a trial or paid account. A BAA is required for invoice processing—not payment processing—so there’s no need to sign any additional BAA.

Why does your invoicing software need to be HIPAA-compliant? It’s because invoices contain all sorts of Protected Health Information (PHI) on it. As soon as you put the client’s full name, the service performed, or a CPT or ICD-10 code on your billing document, it’s considered PHI—and that falls under HIPAA regulations.

To create a HIPAA-compliant invoice without an EHR solution, you can generate it in a Word or Excel document as long as you password-protect it. If you use an EHR, most platforms will automatically create claims, invoices, and superbills for you based on appointments or services rendered.

2. Share a billing document.

If you use a software solution like SimplePractice, you can securely generate and send any billing documents to clients or insurance companies straight from the platform.

If you’re not currently using an EHR, you must use a HIPAA-compliant email to securely send invoices. Check out Google’s G Suite or Microsoft Office 365 for a HIPAA-friendly solution. If you’re sending invoices or claim information to a billing company, your only option may be to fax it. 

3. Get paid.

Now that you’ve created an invoice and figured out how to securely send it to the client, you need to get paid. In the same way you shouldn’t generate an invoice through a non-HIPAA-compliant service—like QuickBooks^® or PayPal—you can’t accept payment through them either. 

Again, their Terms of Use don’t typically cover healthcare services. This means you’d be in violation of both the processor’s terms and HIPAA regulations if you send client invoices via those services. 

That leaves you with cash and check as your only options. However, one workaround is to create the invoice or superbill, send it to the client via a secure email, then have them pay using an on-the-spot payment capture solution like Square or Stripe.

But really, the easiest way to get paid is to use an EHR. You can generate claims, send them to clients, and get paid easily—all from one platform.  Plus, if you sign up for the insurance company’s Electronic Remittance Advice forms (ERAs) and Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), you can receive an electronic Explanation of Benefits (EOB). That way the insurance company can directly deposit payments into your business checking account. 

If a client is paying privately, they can use the credit card processor in your EHR to securely pay that bill right from their Client Portal. The money will be deposited into your business bank account as soon as it becomes available. 

Why Billing Should Be Done on an EHR

Whether you work with insurance or private-pay clients, the right EHR solution can streamline all of your billing needs and ensure your entire process is HIPAA-compliant. No matter what solution you choose to implement as your payment system, make sure it’s helping you run a compliant and successful practice.

What You Need to Consider Before Returning to the Office

This content is provided by SimplePractice, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the views of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy. To view the original post, visit SimplePractice's website. 

How to Decide to Return to In-Person Care
Even with stay-at-home orders in place, a wide variety of healthcare workers have been deemed “essential workers” and are allowed to work from their offices—depending on their state and city regulations, of course.

But as governors around the country prepare to ease stay-at-home orders, health and wellness professionals are facing difficult choices about returning to in-person care. As some practitioners are starting to be allowed to offer in-person care again, many have chosen to stick with telehealth sessions instead.

Should You Start Offering In-Person Appointments Again?
It was a difficult choice for many practitioners to close their (physical) doors, but deciding when to return poses an even greater challenge. And it’s a decision that will have to be made by each and every practitioner. As you try to decide when you’re ready to welcome clients back to your office, here are four factors to consider.

1. Your Risk Factors
Right now, age and health are the two identified risk factors for complications from COVID-19—the disease caused by a coronavirus infection. However, there’s no age or health category that’s risk-free. You should not only consider your own age and health, but also the age and health of those you make regular contact with.

People who have coronavirus may be symptom-free even while they’re contagious. Just because you or your clients are not presently experiencing symptoms does not mean that you can be sure you’re not carrying—and transmitting—the virus.

If you believe you’ve been exposed or are feeling sick, you shouldn’t take the risk of potentially exposing your clients, colleagues, and others. The CDC recommends self-monitoring, self-quarantine, or self-isolation—depending on the nature of your known exposure.

2. Your Clients’ Wellbeing
Who you work with matters as well. If your clients want telehealth and can be effectively served via telehealth, that should help you sustain your practice without opening your clients to unnecessary risk. However, you may find it challenging to maintain virtual sessions with some clients—either because of their age, their specific symptoms, the technology available to them, or other reasons.

Consider who your clients come in contact with. If they’re regularly in contact with high-risk individuals, then it may not be the right time to return to in-person care just yet.

Of course, reopening your office to clients doesn’t necessarily mean reopening your office to all clients. You may choose to initially limit in-person client contact to only individuals who can’t be served via telehealth for whatever reason.

3. Your Physical Space

It’s worth considering what your space allows in terms of both physical distancing and contact with shared surfaces. An individual practice in a larger office may be able to hold enough space between client and provider to reduce any risk of transmission. You can also stagger appointments to allow more time to clean any shared surfaces between appointments.

On the other hand, if your office space has a shared waiting area, small rooms, recirculated air, or other limiting factors, it can increase the likelihood of transmission. If your office space doesn’t allow you to use best practices, you may want to be more cautious about reopening.

When you are ready to reopen, the CDC offers resources for businesses, including guidance for reducing infection risk in workspaces. It may also be useful to review the CDC guidelines for community facilities.

4. Your Community

As states and communities progress toward the designated milestones for reopening their economies, keep in mind that not every community will be moving at the same pace.  Just because in-person practice is technically allowed where you live and work doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the right move for your practice. Part of your assessment may include community factors like population density and community norms, as assessed by what other providers are doing.

Ultimately, each practice will need to determine on its own when the conditions are right to reopen and at what pace. In addition to reviewing the most recent guidance from health officials, you may want to consult with your commercial landlord, your liability insurance provider, your co-workers, and your clients.

SimplePractice customers can access the COVID-19 screening questionnaire in their note template library to begin screening clients who would like to resume in-person care

How to Write a Better Homepage that Gets Clients to Contact You

This content is provided by Brighter Vision, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the views of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy. 

You already know that your homepage is important. After all, it’s the very first thing your website visitors see, the face of your site!

The introductory text you write for your homepage is the very first chance you get to greet your potential clients and persuade them to choose your practice. It’s not an opportunity you want to waste.

If you’re worrying that your own homepage might not be written up to snuff right now, fret not! We’ve cracked the recipe for a solid, engaging private practice homepage that will entice your potential clients to reach out to you right away, and boiled it down into 3 easy steps for beginners.

How to Write a Better Homepage

1. Connect with your ideal client

The first thing your homepage text should do is call out to your ideal client. There are a couple great ways to do this. One of the most powerful is by identifying what your ideal client struggles with. This shows that you understand and sympathize with what they’re going through, which your clients will feel is necessary in order for you to help them.

>> Struggling to figure out who your ideal client is? <<

Take Brighter Vision’s free Ideal Client Quiz today!

Take this example from the homepage of Abby’s therapy practice, Welcome Home Family Therapy.

Image credit: Welcome Home Family Therapy

See how she starts off with a series of questions that pinpoint issues specific to clients struggling with family relationships and communication issues? Abby has identified her ideal clients as those who are experiencing these familial issues in their home and are therefore best suited for her kind of in-home group therapy.

Another great way to connect with your ideal client right away is to show that you understand their goals for both their personal life and their expectations for therapy.

Let’s look at this example from Tammy Toriello’s private practice website:

Image credit: Tammy Toriello, LMHC

Tammy opens up with a motivation her ideal clients can connect to, already putting herself on their team as she provides encouragement that identifies with those potential clients. Empowering your potential clients by making their goals seem so achievable (-with you) makes them more likely to want to take charge of their own care by hitting that button to schedule an appointment.

COVID-19: Reopening Practices and Resuming In-Person Sessions

As states being to reopen and lift stay-at-home orders, it is important to strategically plan and implement policies before reopening. Therapists are to exercise their professional judgment in considering reopening their practices. The decision to reopen is unique to each therapist situation.  As you begin to consider reopening your practice, please take these necessary steps before reopening your practice.

Comply with Federal, State, and Local Guidelines

As the on-going pandemic unfolds, federal and state governments continuously release updated guidelines for reopening and operating your practice. Therapist should review and comply with all relevant federal, state, and local guidelines. The federal government and the World Health Organization (WHO) have developed guidelines for reopening businesses and reducing the transmission of the coronavirus.

Most state government and cities have published guidelines for safely reopening operating businesses. These guidelines should be closely reviewed and monitored by your practice.

Below is a list of helpful resources:

CDC Guidance on Face to Face Interactions

White House and CDC Guidelines for Opening Up America Again

Getting Your Workplace Ready for COVID-19

OSHA Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19

Assess Whether an In-Person Session is Necessary

Marriage and Family Therapists should consider continuing using telehealth to reduce the risk of transmission of the coronavirus. Many clients will insist on resuming in-person sessions after many weeks of self-isolation. However, you must consider the best interests of your clients and whether resuming in-person sessions outweighs the risk of transmission of the coronavirus for vulnerable clients (e.g. at-risk age groups and clients with health conditions).

Therapists should document reasons for why telehealth is a safer alternative and appropriate if a client persists on resuming in-person sessions and it is not safe to do so. Additionally, therapists should consider the potential risk to their own health and family members for resuming in-person sessions. Therapist should not needlessly risk their own health or the health of their family members, staff, or clients.

Please read AAMFT’s COVID-19 Telehealth Guidance and Resource page for guidance on conducting telehealth.

Liability and Legal Implications

As you contemplate reopening your practice, please consider the liability and legal implications that may arise from reopening your practice. You should consider developing concrete strategies and written policies that comply with government guidelines. Disregarding and violating public health guidelines could give rise to a potential legal claim. Therefore, it is important to implement written policies that demonstrate compliance with government guidelines.

If you decide to resume in-person sessions, it is suggested to have clients sign an informed consent form that addresses some of the following concerns below.  Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of all precautions that should be taken and does not waive all liability for therapists. State and local health authorities may have published additional guidance. 

• Client consents to meet for in-person sessions during the COVID-19 pandemic. By agreeing and coming into the office, client assumes the risk for exposure to COVID-19 or other public health risk. Clients should consult with their physician on public and personal health risk.
• Clients are under no obligation to attend in-person therapy sessions and the client may choose to return to telehealth sessions at any time. I reserve the right to terminate any in-person sessions if it becomes unsafe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• You agree to comply with public health orders and guidelines addressing protective masks and gloves.
• You agree to wash your hands with soap or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer prior to entering the building.
• You agree to notify me if you or a member of your household has been exposed or infected to COVID-19.
• You will notify me and my practice if you work in an environment that exposes you to individuals who may be infected to COVID-19.
• In order to keep you, my employees, and myself safe from the transmission of COVID-19, I reserve the right to cancel our appointment and require you to leave the office immediately if you or another person in the office has a fever or any other symptoms. If I or a member of my staff are sick, I will notify you so you may take necessary precautions.
• To begin or resume in-person session, you agree to take necessary precautions to protect yourself, me, my staff, and our families from exposure to COVID-19. If you do not adhere to these precautionary requirements, I reserve the right to terminate in-person sessions. Telehealth may remain as an alternative to any in-person sessions. Initial each provision to indicate that you understand and agree to each required safeguard:
  • You agree to wash your hands with soap or an alcohol-based sanitizer before entering and leaving the building.
  • You agree to take your temperature before each in-person session. If your temperature is higher than 100 degrees Fahrenheit or if you have any other symptoms, you agree to immediately notify me or my office and agree to cancel the in-person appointment. You will not be charged a cancellation fee. Telehealth will remain as an alternative option for therapy.
  • You agree to adhere to any safe distance measuring policy in the building, waiting room, and in my office.
  • You agree to maintain a safe distance of six feet from myself and from all staff.
  • You agree to avoid all physical contact e.g. handshakes.
  • You agree to not bring in any unannounced visitor before the session.
  • You agree to take precautionary steps to minimize your exposure to COVID-19 before and between appointments.
  • You agree to notify me if you or a member of your household was reasonably exposed to COVID-19.
  • You agree to notify me if you or a member of your household works in an environment that is frequently exposed to COVID-19.
  • You agree to notify me if you or a member of your household has tested positive for COVID-19.

• I reserve the right to amend, add, or abrogate any of the foregoing precautions according to any published federal, state, or local health guidelines. I will notify you of any changes to the agreement.
• In certain circumstance, I may be required to notify federal, state, or local health authorities that you have been in the office. This may occur if you have tested positive for COVID-19. If I am required to report this, I will only report the minimum information necessary to perform their health duties.  

Disclaimer: The information at the time of publishing this article is believed to be current and accurate. However, our understanding of the COVID-19 virus frequently changes. Therapist must follow federal, state, and local officials for new and updated guidelines. The information provided in the article is not to be relied upon as legal advice. A signed informed consent form does not waive all liability for therapists. You are encouraged to contact an attorney licensed in your respective state to obtain guidance to your specific situation.

Using Social Media to Provide Therapeutic Support During COVID-19

This content is provided by Brighter Vision, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the views of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy. 

It’s hard to believe that only a few short weeks ago, it was business as usual. We were working side-by-side with our coworkers in our Colorado office, partially but not fully understanding what the future of COVID-19 may have in store for our own community.

Fast forward to today and we’re all confined to our makeshift home offices with no one to physically interact with but our restless canine colleagues. But if the recent ‘stay at home’ order has taught us anything, it’s that no matter how tough things may seem, they could be much worse if it weren’t for one thing helping us through – technology.

Ready to move your practice online?

Follow the 5 steps in this free email course to transition to telehealth: Learn More & Sign Up

That being said, social media has quickly become even more critical to the overall infrastructure of our collective society. From government agencies and healthcare organizations using social to communicate important coronavirus updates, to the personal benefits we’re experiencing as so many of us are now using social platforms to ease our isolation woes – social media is providing our entire nation with an integral foundation to stay connected and informed in a time we’re all feeling so secluded.

With a little time each day (only about 10 to 15 minutes), you can use social media to stay connected and demonstrate leadership in your community. Then, when we come out of this on the other side, all of those people will remember you were there for them, they’ll remember what you said, and they’ll remember that you were the one who helped them through it all. Thus, they’ll be very likely to continue turning to you for support – i.e. they’ll become new clients!

In this article, we’ll cover a few ways you can use social media to provide digital therapeutic support in the midst of the novel Coronavirus.

Demonstrate Your Expertise

In a recent press call, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg said that the usage of Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp has more than doubled since the start of the COVID-19 crisis. Likewise, influencer agency Obviously reported a 22% increase in Instagram impressions from last quarter and a 27% jump in engagement on TikTok within the last month.

Given the data showing this massive increase in social media engagement, there’s never been a better time to position yourself as an expert in your field and build your following on social media.

But how can you use social media to demonstrate your expertise? By sharing as much helpful information as possible with your online audience.

And this helpful information can come in many different forms…

• You can start out by simply reposting (or retweeting) information shared by other reliable resources such as updates from the WHO, CDC, and your own city or state’s local authorities.
• You can use your own knowledge and experience to post helpful tips on how to reduce stress, panic, and worry during these anxiety-inducing times. Consider giving away a free checklist, a video/audio clip, or hosting a free Facebook Live meditation group. By giving potential clients a free taste of what you can offer them, they’re much more likely to convert to paid clients.
• Or, for those of you who are pressed for time or just not feeling as creative as you’d hope, there’s Social Genie Platform (SGP) With SGP, you can automatically schedule one of our pre-created social media campaigns that already contain dozens of pre-written posts aimed at helping your followers through the perplexities of COVID-19.

 

The Importance of a Google My Business Listing + How to Get One

This content is provided by Brighter Vision, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the views of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy. 

A business listing on Google My Business is essentially the online equivalent of a business listing in the yellow pages. Its main purpose is to compliment your existing website by giving it a public identity/presence on Google so that potential customers can easily find you.

Here are a few more reasons why it pays to have a Google My Business listing:

• When a user searches for your business by name, your listing will prominently stand out on the top right-hand side of the search engine results page.
• When users perform a search from a mobile device, they instantly see all your details including your hours of operation, link to your website, and phone number & email address; both of which they can easily click on to contact you right away.
• Users will be able to easily find you on Google Maps; which is by far the most popular map app these days for people searching for directions to go somewhere. They will be able to click to get directions to you easily.
• You can easily manage your online reputation by responding to reviews and ratings. Fun fact: Reviews were one of the most prominent local SEO ranking factors in 2017 – view the full article at Search Engine Journal

4 Ways Private Practice Owners Can Save Time Every Day

This content is provided by Brighter Vision, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the views of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy. 

While many therapists start their career partly because they’d like more control over their own work schedule, managing your time can be one of the biggest challenges when running a private practice.

When you’re handling sessions, marketing, appointment booking, admin work, business financials, and more, it’s easy to wish there were more hours in the day!

Here are a few ways you can start to take back some of that lost time every day so you can run a more efficient (and more profitable!) practice:

#1 - Move Your Appointment Booking Online

If this is a step you haven’t taken yet, it’s a must-do! Moving your appointment booking online is a major time saver because it takes practically all of your appointment scheduling completely out of your hands.

That means no more wasted time on the phone scheduling appointments, screening calls that may interrupt your day, or shuffling through appointment calendars in a rush. Instead, you’re giving your clients the flexibility and freedom to schedule their own appointments – while freeing yourself up at the same time.

There’s a huge variety of both free and paid online scheduling options out there, but our favorite is SimplePractice. SimplePractice is a HIPAA Compliant Solution that gives you access to scheduling, billing, and notes all in one place.

Providing Services During the Coronavirus Pandemic

The global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has MFTs questioning whether they can provide their services through the use of telehealth technology, especially given the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization to practice social distancing. While telehealth seems like the easiest solution to best protect yourself as the mental health provider, as well as your clients, it’s important to understand the complexities of providing telehealth services before making the decision to offer teletherapy to your clients. 

Top Items to Consider Before Offering Teletherapy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Does your state allow MFTs to practice teletherapy?

• MFTs are legally able to provide teletherapy within a state if they are a licensed MFT or other licensed mental health provider in that state. However, some states do have requirements that licensees must meet before providing teletherapy, such as a certain number of hours of CEs on the subject. Therefore, please check with your licensure board for any state requirements pertaining to teletherapy before proceeding
• Some state licensing boards may have special notices or alerts regarding this very issue. It will be crucial to periodically check in with your licensing board because this situation is very fluid, and teletherapy policy may change at any time.
• Some state governments have issued emergency declarations that could impact whether or not MFTs can practice telehealth. Please contact your state’s licensing board or agency to find out more information on how an emergency declaration impacts your scope of practice.

Can MFTs provide teletherapy to clients who now reside in another state? 

• Some members are encountering situations due to the pandemic where their clients moved away to another state where the member is not licensed, or the clients can no longer travel from their home state to the member’s office in another state. In most states, you must be licensed in the state where the client is currently residing in order to provide therapy online to that client. Unless the government in the state where the client resides waives this requirement under an emergency declaration by the governor, or emergency rulemaking by a licensure board/agency, then this restriction would still apply.

Have licensure laws, or sections within these laws, been waived for the duration of the epidemic?

• The short answer is “no” so far. The current statutes and regulations still apply and remain in effect for the duration of this pandemic. Federal or state law still applies and is still enforceable. The only exceptions would be if the government waives a statute or rule under either an emergency declaration by the president or governor or other executive authority, or emergency rulemaking by a licensure board, or a court order.
• In some cases, the executive branch, whether the federal government or state governments, might not have the legal ability to waive certain requirements during an emergency. Congress and state legislatures also can push legislation that waives or amends certain requirements.
• Please be sure to contact your licensure board should your state government make any emergency changes to confirm how the changes may impact your scope of practice or your ability to utilize teletherapy options.

Will the insurance companies reimburse me for a virtual visit during this time?

• It’s important to check with each insurance company you are paneled with. Some insurance companies will only reimburse mental health providers for virtual visits after the provider has had an in-person visit with the client. Some insurance companies may change their telehealth policies in order to address the current crisis. The trade association for the insurance industry has a summary of actions by some insurers who have waived requirements in light of the virus.

Will my malpractice insurance cover telehealth services? 

• If you are insured by CPH and Associates through AAMFT, they have released a notice stating that the policy will cover telehealth as long as the services are being provided legally within the scope of your license.
• If you are covered by a different malpractice insurance company, you will need to contact them to find out if telehealth services are covered under your policy.
  
  

What teletherapy platform should I use?

• Members should use a teletherapy platform that is HIPAA-compliant. Regarding supervision, AAMFT’s affiliate partner, Motivo, is offering all members a free, HIPAA-compliant platform for virtual supervision during COVID-19.
  
  

What ethical issues apply to teletherapy?

• All AAMFT members are bound to comply with the AAMFT Code of Ethics. Standard VI of the AAMFT Code of Ethics addresses the provision of online therapy or supervision. In particular, Standard 6.1 outlines the steps MFTs should take before commencing therapy or supervision services through electronic means. In addition Standard VI, the remaining provisions of the AAMFT Code of Ethics also apply to online therapy or supervision.
• Besides the AAMFT Code of Ethics, your state’s licensure law might have additional provisions that apply when conducting teletherapy or supervision online. Many states have requirements that are the same as or similar to the AAMFT Code of Ethics. However, some states have additional requirements that apply to therapy or supervision through electronic means. Members should check their state’s licensure law or contact their state licensure board. For information regarding your state’s licensure law and licensure board, please visit our State Resource Pages.

I am a student in an MFT program attempting to complete my practicum this semester. Our university is now closed, and I have gone back home, which is in different state. Can I continue providing therapy to clients virtually in the state where the program is located?

• Regarding the ability of students to continue providing services online, this will depend upon several factors. One factor is whether the MFT program or university will allow the practicum to continue during the disruption. Some programs might not allow it, particularly if they are formally closed during this period. Another factor is whether this therapy is allowable under the laws of the state where the clients live, as well as under the laws of the state where the student is residing. You or your program will need to check with the licensure boards in these states. In addition, you will want to contact your liability carrier to see if providing therapy virtually from another state as a student would be covered under your liability policy.

What about for associate MFTs? Will my hours earned during this pandemic count towards licensure?

• As an MFT in training, the COVID-19 pandemic may have you worried about completing your hours of supervised experience in order to become licensed. Supervisors may also be worried about providing supervision while adhering to the recommended social distancing preventative measure. Some states already have a certain number of supervision hours allowed to be completed virtually. Again, given the fluid nature of this pandemic, it could be possible to see some of these virtual supervision policies change. Please contact your state’s licensing board/agency to determine if virtual supervision hours will be counted towards licensure.

AAMFT Resources

• AAMFT has several resources regarding the practice of teletherapy. Those resources, along with other resources that may be helpful during this time of uncertainty, have been compiled for your convenience here.
• For information regarding your state’s licensure and supervision policies, please visit our State Resource Pages. Please note: These pages were not created with a global pandemic in mind! Please utilize the links on your state’s page to access information directly from your state’s MFT licensing board/agency, because policies may temporarily change due to this crisis. Each State Resource Page features links to the MFT licensing board/agency.

HIPAA Compliance on Social Media: A Guide for Private Practices

Although this article is intended to help therapy practices and mental health providers, it is not intended to replace the advice of professional legal counsel. If you have any doubts about whether your social media marketing efforts may be in violation of HIPAA, please consult with an attorney. This content is provided by Brighter Vision, an affinity partner of AAMFT. This information is not necessarily the views of AAMFT and should not be interpreted as official policy. 

Social media studies from 2019 have reported that there are 3.2 billion social media users in the world today – that’s about 42% of the entire population! – and this number continues to grow every single day. With that kind of data, there’s simply no denying that social media is a great outlet to expand your private practice’s marketing strategy.

Social media not only allows you to connect with your existing clients on a different level, but it also allows you to provide educational materials that will help establish your expertise with new potential clients. Plus, it's a great way to continue to build your overall brand.

Sadly, as beneficial as social media marketing is for businesses, many private practice owners shy away from social media for fear of unknowingly violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HIPAA violations can come with some pretty substantial penalties - fines, sanctions, even loss of license in some cases - so we totally get why ignoring digital marketing and social media may seem like the easy way to go.

But we're here to tell you that you don't have to choose between HIPAA compliance and growing your practice online. Using social media doesn't have to feel like walking through an ethical minefield. You simply need to understand what is and what is not allowed by law.

Read on to learn how you can use social media to grow your practice all-the-while maintaining HIPAA compliance.

What Is Protected Health Information (PHI)?

Because HIPAA was enacted several years before social media (as we know it today) really took off, there's no official set of HIPAA social media rules. However, the same HIPAA privacy standards apply to social media use.

HIPAA guidelines define Protected Health Information as "anything - vague or specific - that could reveal the identity of a patient." Well, speaking of vague, what the heck does that really mean?

There are actually 18 items that are considered to be "individually identifiable health information” under HIPAA.

Types of PHI:

1. Names, including nicknames and names used on social media
2. Address, or any other geographical location information
3. Dates, except for the year (i.e. birthdate, appointment dates, admission/discharge dates, etc.)
4. Phone number
5. Fax number
6. Social security number
7. Email address
8. Medical record number
9. Any other account numbers
10. Health plan beneficiary number
11. Any other certificate or license numbers
12. Vehicle information such as license plate numbers or the make/model/color of a vehicle
13. Web URLs or social media links
14. Device identifiers or serial numbers
15. Internet protocol addresses (IP addresses)
16. Biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, retinal scans, or voice recordings
17. Photos, even if they're not showing anyone's face
18. Anything else that compromises the patient's identity

Using any of the above information about a client on social media - even with their permission - could be considered a HIPAA violation and should be avoided to protect your clients’ privacy. But that shouldn't mean that your practice should be precluded from having a presence on social media.

Maintaining HIPAA Compliance on Social Media

According to Healthcare Compliance Pros, 74% of Internet users are active on social media. Not only that, 80% of those who use social media actually use it to research doctors, hospitals, medical news, and other medical-related information.

Without a doubt, social media is a great way to help position yourself as an expert in your field and attract new patients.

But, before you start posting across the various platforms, it's important to make sure you really understand what's allowed and what isn't.

 

Free Webinar- Websites 101: Everything You Need to Know About Setting up a Site for Your Private Practice

If you are interested in setting up a website for your private practice, but feel overwhelmed by the amount of information out there, we have a perfect online event for you!

On Wednesday, October 2nd @ 12:00 noon EST, Brighter Vision will be hosting a free webinar exclusively for AAMFT members.

During this webinar, they will be walking through exactly what you need to build a website, web design philosophy, search engine optimization, and what you can do guarantee your online marketing is successful long-term.

The second half of the webinar will feature an open question format, so please come prepared with any questions you'd like answered.

To register for this webinar, please click here or visit the following link:

https://my.demio.com/ref/6EYNYKcT8tHISCzo

If you can't attend the event in real-time, don't worry. The webinar will be recorded so you can always view it later!