Telehealth therapy has become the new norm for the healthcare industry. School districts are realizing that teletherapy makes sense in schools (link to previous blog post). But how can schools effectively integrate a teletherapy system into their schools? What are some things schools should consider when selecting a company? Here’s some tips on how to choose and implement a program that will support your most at-risk students’ mental health.
1. Assess your school needs and determine expectations.
Do you already have school psychologists or therapists at your school? What is their bandwidth? Are they able to handle their current caseload? Or perhaps, your school doesn’t have access to any therapists?
A good teletherapy program is one that complements what your school is currently doing. They should be able to support your staff and students with the ability to scale if necessary – not make more work for your staff. Determine what staff will be responsible for and what the teletherapy provider will be responsible for.
2. Get staff buy in and support through the process.
Once you determine what you need, you have to get the buy-in from the staff who will be interacting with the teletherapy service. This is essential in making a teletherapy program work because your staff are your school experts regarding the mental health needs at your school, and many times are the best ones to evaluate the different companies to see what works. This staff would include your school’s therapists, psychologists, and school counselors.
3. Determine if the mental health provider‘s values and conduct aligns with your school or your school district and evaluate their track record.
Teletherapy companies are popping up more frequently, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s important that the company’s values mesh with your school. Telement staff is dedicated to:
- Heart-Centered Connectedness
- Empowered Trusting Relationships
- Excellence Through Integrity
- Creativity Through Curiosity
4. The experience in working with preteens and adolescence.
It’s imperative that the teletherapy provider your school selects have professionals that are licensed and have the experience in serving middle and high school students. Those professionals should be relatable and able to build a connection with students. Treating children is different from treating adults and the teletherapy solution you choose should have the experience and passion for working with this age group .
5. What is the onboarding process like?
If a process is too complicated, mired in red tape and other technical difficulties, experience tells us that the program is more likely to be scrapped or underutilized. Teletherapy onboarding shouldn’t be a herculean task. When interviewing companies, be sure to ask how soon they would be able to provide their services as well as the staff and tech requirements of the school.
6. Is the technology HIPAA-compliant? Encrypted? Safe? Secure?
This one is pretty self-evident, but you want to ensure that student’s health information is protected from cybersecurity threats. Be sure to ask what measures they have in place to protect personal health information and their process for dealing with a breach if by chance there is one.
Read: Why Teletherapy Works in Schools
Conclusion
Teletherapy is a great option for schools to provide much needed support to at-risk students. Telement checks all the boxes above to be the telehealth provider for your school. We’re a team of licensed school psychologists, clinical social workers, and mental health clinicians who partner with schools to provide mental health support to middle and high school students.
Learn more about how we connect therapists and students in real time to solve real struggles. Sign up for a quick 10 min demo (link to demo page) that can be viewed at your convenience.
Our teletherapy professionals are looking forward to assisting you.
