HIPAA COMPLIANCE

1. Top 10 HIPAA Violations and How to Avoid them. (26Oct18) As a practicing physician, the responsibility of ensuring Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance—for yourself and all staff members—rests squarely on your shoulders. HIPAA violations can incur substantial fines for an offending practice, as well as sanctions and loss of license to practice medicine for individuals. Yet, violations are common and often inadvertent.
2. Use of Icloud for Clinical Storage.(12Oct18) Many clinical social workers have questions about relying on the cloud to protect patients’ health information in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The use of the cloud allows a clinical social worker to access information on more than one device (computer, tablet, etc.) and enables group practices to share information across providers to promote continuity of care and standard business practice. Follow these best practices to maintain privacy and security standards when using the cloud in your practice. 

DISTANCE COUNSELING

1. Telemental / Telemehvavioral Health. “Telemental health has gone mainstream. Also referred to as “telebehavioral health,” “e-counseling,” “e-therapy,” “online therapy,” “cybercounseling,” or “online counseling,” telemental health is the provision of remote mental health care services (using modalities including videoconferencing, computer programs, and mobile applications) by a variety of different mental health providers, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and marriage and family therapists.”
2.  Telebehavioral Health. “The SAMHSA-HRSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-Health Resources and Services Administration) Center for Integrated Health Solutions Telebehavioral Health Training and Technical Assistance Series can help safety net providers and rural health clinics understand and adopt telebehavioral health services. The implementation of telehealth services for mental health and substance use allows for increased access to these services, particularly in rural or underserved areas.” 
3.  Standards for Technology (in Social Work Practice). “2017 Standards of Practice with Technology states practitioners need jurisdictional approval in both the state they and the client are in. This seems to include clients that travel frequently (work, dual residency). It goes further to specify the practitioner is responsible for knowing the jurisdictional laws where the client is reference emergency situations as well (reporting, abuse, suicide, etc.) .” 
4.  Updated NASW Ethics. The 2017 revision includes 19 new changes that address ethical responsibilities when using technology.