Navigating Telehealth

What is telehealth?

Telehealth is the use of telecommunication technologies over a network to provide therapeutic care to patients. Put more simply, it is an avenue in which you can meet with a therapist and receive counseling online without having to meet them in-person in an office. Telehealth includes audio-based (e.g., phone call) and video-based forms of communication. Audio-based sessions are covered by insurance less frequently.

Common online video platforms used for therapy include Zoom, Doxy.me, SimplePractice, and thera-LINK, among others. Most of these platforms are HIPAA compliant, meaning that they have privacy and safeguarding tools put into place to keep your patient health information protected.

How to set up for a good therapy session via telehealth:

  1. Download the appropriate video conferencing platform that your provider uses
  2. Make sure the device you are using (computer, smartphone, tablet) has a working camera and microphone and the battery is fully charged
  3. Ensure you are in a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed or heard (e.g., bedroom, home office, parked car)
  4. Check your Wi-Fi connection and make sure that it is stable
  5. If you live with others, ask that they don’t disturb you and respect your space
  6. Consider using headphones or earbuds to improve sound quality and maintain privacy
  7. During your session, treat it as if it you were meeting with your therapist in-person; refrain from multi-tasking and give each other your undivided attention
  8. If you are self-conscious or distracted by seeing yourself on a device screen, toggle your platforms settings to hide self-view, or put a small piece of paper over the image on your screen

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen behavioral health clinicians offering fewer in-person sessions, opting to continue virtual therapy and psychiatry services. According to a Washington Post article “video-based care had stayed close to its pandemic peak, representing a 2,300 percent increase from its pre-pandemic level” (Searing, 2024). Renting office space was unnecessary during the pandemic, and providers learned that effective treatment could happen via video. As a result, many clinicians have no office space and are only offering virtual sessions as opposed to a hybrid model. Insurance companies began covering online sessions at a similar rate as in-person sessions. Clients found incorporating virtual sessions into their regular schedules was manageable and more efficient. Insurance companies now vary on teletherapy coverage; it is always a good idea to call your insurance company to confirm this. According to Data Bridge Marketing, telemental health services are expected to grow in the next 6 years. They project an increase in overall revenue from $130 million in 2022 to $840 million by 2030 (Data Bridge Market Research, 2024). These are some of the factors contributing to the expansion of telehealth:

  1. Rise in the geriatric and medically underserved (especially rural) populations.
  2. Increasing prevalence of chronic conditions
  3. Developments in telecommunications
  4. Reduced infrastructure costs for providers
  5. Decreased transportation costs
  6. Flexibility in schedule for busy lives
  7. Access for reluctant clients worried about stigma

Clinicians are required to follow the guidelines of their ethics board if providing telehealth services. Generally, providers are encouraged or required to be licensed in the state where the client sits during the therapy session. Clear guidelines exist for LMHC, LICSW, and LMFT providers, in that, only providers licensed in MA are eligible to treat clients who are “sitting” in MA during the session. There is legislation proposed for MA psychologists to have multistate reciprocity. For now, MA psychologists follow the same guidelines as above—they can treat clients who are physically in MA. INTERFACE partners with towns and organizations located in MA and our provider database reflects this. Lastly, psychiatrists in MA also must be licensed in the state where the client sits during the session. Prescribing controlled substances via telehealth is allowed until the end of 2024, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It has been proposed that physicians should meet with patients at least once before prescribing a controlled substance; the DEA has not ruled on this yet. Currently, patients may be expected to periodically meet in-person with a psychiatrist.

Additional information about telemental health with children, adolescents, and older adults:

Resources used:

Disclaimer: Material on the William James INTERFACE Referral Service website is intended as general information. It is not a recommendation for treatment, nor should it be considered medical or mental health advice. The William James INTERFACE Referral Service urges families to discuss all information and questions related to medical or mental health care with a health care professional.