Volume_6_Issue_4_Digest

15 TPC Digest Jay Ostrowski, Traci P. Collins A Comparison of Telemental Health Terminology Used Across Mental Health State Licensure Boards R esearch was conducted to identify the regulations and terminology used for distance counseling by state mental health license boards for counselors, social workers, marriage and family therapists and psychologists in all 50 states. The outcomes highlight barriers to the advancement in research and barriers to the adoption of telemental health for these mental health professions. Examples of barriers include the diverse terms (19) used by these boards and the lack of similarity with terms used commonly by counselors, government and researchers. Only 43% of all state licensing boards researched above had regulations related to telemental health. The existence of state licensing regulations for telemental health in 2015 was nearly equally split among the professions investigated (counseling, n = 22; social work, n = 21; marriage and family therapists, n = 1; and psychology, n = 22). The data found on 151 state mental health licensing board Web sites surveyed were verified through with these boards through email. Sixteen licensing boards responded with information that was significantly different from their publicly posted statements, stating permissions or restrictions which were not otherwise posted. Only one state had regulations prohibiting telemental health practice, and this applied only to the counseling profession. The full article discusses the 42 terms found for the concept of telemental health and the terms more commonly used by mental health licensing boards. The boards are encouraged to use research for making regulations in telemental health, use terms more commonly used by counselors, government and researchers, and to clarify policies that may be inadvertently restrictive. The shortage of counselors across the United States has renewed an interest in telemental health. The U.S. government estimates that more than 4,000 counselors are needed nationwide to fill counselor shortages. Telemental health services are viewed by the U.S. government as a viable means to fill these service access gaps. The National Board of Certified Counselors broke ground in the telemental health space almost 20 years ago when they published the first set of guidelines for what was then called Web Counseling. All major mental and behavioral health entities have followed with updates that reflect changes in research, culture and technology. Telemental health is now supported and funded by federal agencies including the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration Office for Advancement of Telehealth funds 14 Telehealth Resource Centers. The term “telemental health” is more prominent in the vernacular of the U.S. government than any other term and one of the top terms recommended for use by the authors. Counselors are encouraged to add telemental health services to their in-person practice to take advantage of new opportunities to help people in rural areas and urban areas where access to mental health is difficult. Due to the risks related to telemental health, counselors should obtain professional training and contact their respective licensing board for terms and policies both in the state where the counselor is located and the state in which the client will be located at the time of services. Jay Ostrowski, NCC, is Director of Product and Business Development at the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc. and Affiliates, and the CEO of Behavioral Health Innovation. Traci P. Collins, NCC, is a professional counselor at Triad Counseling & Clinical Services, LLC in Greensboro, NC, and a doctoral candidate at North Carolina State University. Read full article and references: Ostrowski, J., & Collins, T. P. (2016). A comparison of telemental health terminology used across mental health state licensure boards. The Professional Counselor , 6 , 387–396. doi : 10.15241/jo.6.4.387 15 TPC Digest