In today’s video, we’ll talk about key legal strategies for behavioral health providers. Behavioral health providers and life coaches also face really complicated regulatory hurdles, especially in telemedicine. I’ll discuss some legal strategies that can help you address these challenges, whether you’re a practice or a business.

First of all, maintaining confidentiality is paramount. You have to have strong data protection protocols to ensure patient information remains secure. So we worked with a mental health clinic that struggled with telehealth privacy issues. We helped them look to adopt encrypted communication tools, update their privacy policies, and appoint a privacy and safety officer, strengthening their internal processes.

Second, they have to adhere to telemedicine laws, and regulations really vary by state, making it critical to stay informed. We work with one life coach who was consulting us to understand her own state’s telemedicine rules for the online sessions, and that state required really clear protocols for the initial exam, whether it had to be done in person or it could be done virtually.

And so on and we had to get that nailed down and also

Behavioral specialists have to know their own scope of practice. For example, what’s the scope of practice in your state for behavioral health and where does it cross the line into unlicensed medical practice? Can you give advice on supplements and functional medicine?

This is part of the terrain that a behavioral health business or practice have to navigate, and you really need experienced health care counsel that can take you through state by state, scope of practice, exactly what the business model is, and help you take a strategic eye. I used to say, don’t hold the dice, get legal advice, and it’s really true today.

If you’d like to dive deeper into any of the topics we’ve talked about today, reach out to us. Click below. We’d love to talk to you. We look forward to it