Telepsychology: Key recommendations for ethical, legal, and effective practice.

Abstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health clinicians needed to rapidly shift from the provision of in-person services to telepsychology. This frequently occurred without practitioners first receiving needed education and training to help ensure that these services were provided ethically, legally, and competently. Many practitioners worked to learn telepsychology essentials and develop this competence through their experiences in treating clients virtually. While the state of emergency associated with the pandemic has ended, many patients and practitioners have found the provision of online mental health treatment services to be preferable to a return to in-person treatment. Thus, it is essential that all mental health clinicians obtain the necessary knowledge and skills to provide continued online services ethically, legally, and effectively. Relevant information is shared, and key recommendations are made, to assist practitioners to achieve these goals. Issues addressed include the roles of clinical and technologic competence, how the informed consent process should be modified when telepsychology services are being offered, the need for advance preparation for crises and emergencies across distances, legal issues associated with interjurisdictional practice and compliance with relevant laws in the client's jurisdiction, office set up and security considerations, the assessment of each client for the appropriateness of telepsychology treatment and which technologic modality would be most appropriate, documentation and record-keeping requirements, online boundaries and multiple relationships to include social media participation with patients, the use and role of smartphone apps by patients, and the role and application of self-care activities for telepsychology practitioners. Clinical Impact StatementThis article addresses important considerations for the practice of telepsychology. Common challenges and dilemmas are addressed and key recommendations are made to promote the ethical, legal, and clinically effective practice of telepsychology.