COVID-19 Information & Resources for Psychologists

COVID-19 Information & Resources for Psychologists

• Webinar: Improving Mental Health Care by Understanding the Culture of Farming and Rural Communities

           June 25, 2020, 12:00 PM CST

           Register 

• APA Advocacy Action Alert: Extend Medicare Telehealth Flexibilities 6/11/20
• HHS announces $15 billion in additional Provider Relief Fund distributions to eligible Medicaid and CHIP providers 6/10/20
• ADAA is pleased to share a two-part professional education series – Mental Health on the Frontlines of COVID-19. It features two brief webinars, and is FREE for all interested clinicians.   

  Part 1 – Mental Health on the Frontlines of COVID-19, is an interview with Dr. Sheila Rauch, addressing do’s and don’ts for providing mental health care and support to medical professionals caring for COVID patients.  The goal is to provide basic/introductory information to frontline mental health clinicians, who may not have the latest information about how to assist in the midst of this kind of crisis.

  Part 2 – Mental Health on the Frontlines of COVID 19 – A Phased Approach For Support, features Dr. Sheila Rauch describing an evidence-informed approach for supporting medical professionals during the pandemic. The framework was developed by Drs. Sheila Rauch, Naomi Simon, and Barbara Rothbaum, and provides guidance on responses across domains and time frames for the mental health needs of frontline providers.

• Phone-only Teleheath Services for Medicare during COVID-19. 5/1/20
• Parenting & Caregiving: Advice and guidance on caring for, educating and supporting loved ones during COVID-19. 5/1/20
• Telehealth Guidance by State during COVID-19 from APA 4/24/20
• How to talk to and support your children/teens/young adults regarding COVID-19. 4/23/20
• COVID-19 Kids Information Book 4/23/20
• COVID-19 Kids Information Book in Spanish 4/23/20
• Helping Children Cope with Stress during the COVID-19 Outbreak 4/23/20
• Coping with Stress during the COVID-19 Outbreak 4/23/20
• Is your patients anxiety or depression related to COVID-19? 4/17/2020
• Economic Impact Payment FAQ for Consumers 4/15/2020
• FACE COVID: How to respond effectively to the Corona crisis 4/8/2020
• Coping with Coronavirus: How faculty members can support students in traumatic times 4/8/2020
• Dos & don’ts for coping with stress related to public health crisis and maintaining a healthy mind 4/8/2020
• Call for Papers Related to COVID-19 4/3/20
• CMS announced an important update for phone-only services in Medicare.  Click HERE for the information in APA’s new Practice Information Hub.  4/3/20
• Updated Medicare Guidelines for Telephone/ Audio Sessions 3/31/20
• Medicare and Telehealth Update 3/31/20
• Roundup of APA resources for students, faculty, psychologists, supervisors, trainees and high school teachers of psychology 3/24/2020
• MS Board of Psychology COVID-19 Proclamation
• The board has issued more information related to the practice of telehealth in the state of Mississippi. On the Mississippi Board of Psychology website homepage, the board has posted a proclamation related to the provision of telehealth services. Amy Wilson just sent out a previous email to the listserv with the proclamation attached, but you can visit the board website at https://www.psychologyboard.ms.gov/Pages/default.aspx to view as well. Additionally, regarding the provision of telehealth services by psychologists, Mississippi statute 73-31-3, section D iii states:
  • (iii) Psychological services are provided to individuals, families, groups, systems, organizations, and the public. The practice of psychology shall be construed within the meaning of this definition without regard to whether payment is received for services rendered and without regard to the means of service provision (e.g., face-to-face, telephone, Internet, or telehealth).
  •  “Any psychologist who has an active license in Mississippi may provide telehealth services to a client residing in Mississippi. If they wish to provide services in other jurisdictions, they should contact the Board in that jurisdiction to determine what the requirements are there.”
• For information you can regularly monitor reliable sources of information including:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – www.cdc.gov   
  • Mississippi State Department of Health – www.msdh.ms.gov
  • World Health Organization – www.who.int
• The link below provides information from reliable sources (APA, CDC, WHO, SAMHSA) related to general resources (i.e. managing anxiety related to COVID-19 and tools to help individuals stay safe, but utilize effective coping strategies), resources for practitioners and healthcare professionals, preparedness and safety resources, as well as resources for parents and caregivers.  

          https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/pandemics

• How to Protect Your Patients & Your Practice 3/24/2020
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Considerations During COVID-19 Outbreak 3/24/2020

Telehealth 3/24/2020

• As we work to continue to be able to provide mental health resources to individuals in need during this time of uncertainty, I know that there has been much discussion related to telehealth. In Mississippi, psychologists are already included in the Telehealth Statute as covered with parity for provided care. Therefore, many are looking for resources related to telehealth training, HIPAA compliant telehealth resources, assistance with implementation, and information related to reimbursement. APA is working to continue to advocate for telehealth access and reimbursement, and we will send more information as it becomes available. In the meantime, I have compiled some resources below that have been provided on different APA division listservs.
• The link below is a summary that helps explain “What the COVID-19 telehealth waiver means for psychology practitioners”.

           https://www.apaservices.org/practice/legal/technology/covid-19-telehealth-waiver

• Informed Consent Checklist for Telepsychology Services
• Office & Technology Checklist for Telepsychology Services
• Telehealth Contact Form
• Telehealth Information Sheet 

Insurers 3/24/2020

• COVID-19 Telehealth Policy Fact Sheet
• Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet
• Notification of Enforcement Discretion for telehealth remote communications during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency
• For those taking Optum, they have established their own Virtual Visit
  platform – you will have to register on.
  https://www.providerexpress.com/content/ope-provexpr/us/en/clinical-resources/vv-tmh.html
• My office manager did get someone on the phone. Given the new guidance from HHS – they are allowing patients to be seen on the platforms approved through HHS and not just their own platform. – Dr. Emily Thomas Johnson

• BCBS on Telemedicine Coverage
• I received communication from Aetna and Cigna yesterday. Both indicated that based on the President’s proclamation they will reimburse Telehealth via phone for our contracts. – Dr. Emily Thomas Johnson

CE Credits 3/24/2020

• The board has also released an update on its homepage related to CE credits in the wake of COVID-19. The statement reads:
  •  “With regard to Continuing Education impacts due to COVID-19, the Mississippi Board of Psychology wishes to remind licensees that this is a non-reporting continuing education renewal year. While it is understood that some conferences have been cancelled, we anticipate that there will be options to fulfill the 20 continuing education hours before June 30, 2021. However, we will continue to monitor this concern and make adjustments in the future if necessary.”​

• For a limited time, APA is offering the Telepsychology Best Practice Series Free of Charge. You can find information at the link below.
  • Telepsychology Best Practice 101 Webinar Series
    • Clinical Evaluation and Care: Cultural Competencies; Documentation (2 CE)

• • • About the Tech… Video, Email, Text Messaging & Apps (2 CE)
    • Legal, Regulatory & Ethical Rules of the Road (2 CE)
    • Getting Paid: Reimbursement Strategies & Marketing Your Professional Services Online (2 CE)

           https://apa.content.online/catalog/product.xhtml;jsessionid=2e94c8e034aba70dbd38a1c8f7b5?eid=15132