Course Description:  

Through the completion of this course, learners will gain an in-depth exploration of telehealth fundamentals, equipping healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of remote healthcare delivery. This three-hour video-based course will cover topics including definitions and terminology, legal considerations, benefits, risks, cultural competency, ethics, common applications, and best practices for telehealth and teletherapy. This NBCC Approved and Florida Board Approved three-hour course is designed to satisfy the renewal telehealth requirements for Florida Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapist, and Mental Health Counselors.

Please review the course materials prior to purchasing the course. Often, individuals will print a copy of the course worksheet to complete while they view the course material. Once you are ready to complete the course, please enroll in the course and complete the course requirements, including the course post-test and course survey. You will receive your certificate automatically for printing or downloading after achieving an 80% or higher on the post-test and completing the course survey. 

Beyond the Screen- Best Practices for Telehealth Counseling Course Text.pdf

Beyond the Screen- Best Practices for Telehealth Counseling Course Worksheet.pdf

Course Author:  Bryan Glazier, PhD, LMFT, LMHC,, 

Course Time/Location:  3 CE Hours, Location: www.directceu.com (web-based, asynchronous/home study) 

Course Text: Beyond the Screen: Best Practices for Telehealth Counseling

Course Board Approval Statement(s): NBCC, Florida Board Approved

Directceu, llc has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7411.

directceu, llc (BAP # 50-17578) is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. directceu, llc maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

 Financial Disclosure Statement

directceu, llc is committed to providing our professional colleagues with unbiased information. directceu does not accept commercial support and our course authors have no significant financial interests or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.

Learning Objectives:

Through the completion of this course, learners will gain awareness of what knowledge and skills are to navigate the rapidly evolving landscape of remote healthcare delivery.

  1. After completing this course, participants will be able to:
    1. Identify and apply key ethical, legal, and regulatory standards governing telepsychotherapy, including HIPAA, Florida Statute 491, and relevant professional codes.
    2. Evaluate and select HIPAA-compliant telehealth platforms and implement secure data management practices that uphold client confidentiality.
    3. Demonstrate competence in establishing informed consent, therapeutic alliance, and boundary management within digital environments.
    4. Assess and manage clinical risk remotely, including suicide, self-harm, and intimate partner violence, through evidence-based safety-planning and collaboration with local resources.
    5. Adapt evidence-based psychotherapies (e.g., CBT, DBT, EMDR, IFS) for delivery via telehealth while maintaining treatment fidelity and client engagement.
    6. Apply culturally competent and inclusive practices for diverse populations, including rural, older adult, LGBTQ+, and multilingual clients.
    7. Navigate administrative and financial aspects of telehealth practice, including documentation, insurance billing, and audit readiness.
    8. Analyze emerging trends and technologies, including AI, virtual reality, and mobile mental-health apps, and their implications for ethical and effective clinical practice.

 

Course Syllabus: (Total length 3 hours, 2 minutes)

Foundations and Ethics in Telepsychotherapy

  • Evolution of telehealth and regulatory framework
  • Professional codes of ethics (APA, ACA, NASW, AAMFT) and digital applications
  • Informed consent, competence, and professional boundaries online

HIPAA, Confidentiality, and Security

  • HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 for telehealth
  • Encryption, data storage, and privacy safeguards
  • Risk assessment and breach-response procedures

Clinical Competency and Best Practices

  • Assessing client suitability for telepsychotherapy
  • Maintaining alliance and engagement through video and audio
  • Adapting CBT, DBT, EMDR, and IFS interventions to telehealth

Cultural Competence and Inclusion in Telehealth

  • Addressing implicit bias and cultural humility
  • Access and equity for rural, disabled, and underserved populations
  • Language access, disability accommodations, and digital literacy

Crisis Management and Safety Planning

  • Remote risk assessment and suicide prevention
  • Domestic violence and IPV considerations
  • Collaboration with emergency and community resources

Administrative and Financial Compliance

  • Documentation and record retention for telehealth
  • Insurance billing, CPT codes, and reimbursement policies
  • Differences between private practice and agency telehealth operations

Future Directions and Professional Growth

  • AI, VR, and mobile mental-health technologies
  • Policy developments (PSYPACT, Interstate Counseling Compact)
  • Continuing education and digital ethics for lifelong competence