Counseling Resources

The resources below are listed to assist institutional leaders in considering continuity of campus counseling services during closures due to COVID-19.

• The Higher Education Mental Health Alliance (HEMHA) Guide to College Counseling from a Distance

• State Board Guidance on TeleMental Health

• • WV Board of Social Work  https://www.wvsocialworkboard.org/
  • WV Board of Examiners of Psychologists https://psychbd.wv.gov/

TelePsychology in Light of COVID-19

• • WV Board of Examiners in Counseling: http://www.wvbec.org/

COVID-19 Telemental Health Guidance

• National Associations- Guidance on TeleMental Health
  • American Psychological Association Guidelines for Telepsychology https://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/telepsychology
  • National Association of Social Workers, WV Chapter Update: WV Tele Mental Health Therapy & Social Supports During COVID-10 Emergency

• Counselors should check with the liability insurance provided by the school and individually held insurance regarding coverage during the use of technology platforms.

• The Notification of Enforcement Discretion on Telehealth Remote Communications

Mar 17^th  --The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced, effective immediately, that it will exercise its enforcement discretion and will waive potential penalties for HIPAA violations against health care providers that serve patients through everyday communications technologies during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency.   This exercise of discretion applies to widely available communications apps, such as FaceTime or Skype, when used in good faith for any telehealth treatment or diagnostic purpose, regardless of whether the telehealth service is directly related to COVID-19.  In support of this action, OCR will be providing further guidance explaining how covered health care providers can use remote video communication products and offer telehealth to patients responsibly.

• Resources for Selecting a HIPAA compliant platform for telehealth.
  • Mid Atlantic TeleHealth Resource Center- Telebehavioral Health Center of Excellence  https://tbhcoe.matrc.org/
  • Telemental Health Comparisons- Vendor-neutral site to compare and select software by criteria com
  • HIPAA and Telehealth- A Stepwise Guide to Compliance from the National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers

• META- Teletherapy Services for Colleges with and without Counseling Centers

• Behavioral Health Guidance Links for Providers:

Disaster Planning Handbook for Behavioral Health Treatment Programs (SAMHSA)

Guidance for Opioid Treatment Programs (SAMHSA)

COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Response and 42 CFR Part 2 Guidance (SAMHSA)

COVID-19 potential implications for individuals with SUDs (NIDA)

Coronavirus-related Protocols for Treatment Centers (Caron Treatment Centers)

Digital All Recovery Meetings by WEconnect, Unity Recovery and Alano Club

TeleMental Health Best Practices Training Call

Telehealth Learning Series