With all of the really cool developments in technology, clients can carry counseling guidance in their pocket by way of therapy apps for smartphones. Although these can be valuable tools, some caution is in order.
What is a therapy app? It’s any app on your smartphone that provides therapy-related benefits. Common apps include mood trackers such as T2 Mood Tracker or journaling apps such as DayOne.
HIPAA Compliance
The main concern is HIPAA compliance. You should screen apps before recommending them to your clients. Here are some questions you should ask:
- Are the data collection, storage and sharing features HIPAA compliant?
- Does the app have sufficient privacy protections, such as a password?
- What kinds of safeguards are really in place if a user shares their location info?
- Has the app been tested for privacy?
- Does the app involve communicating clinical information to the therapist? If so, then you are engaging in a telehealth activity, and all of the appropriate restrictions and processes would apply. This gets even more complicated if the client happens to be traveling out of the state, due to variable licensing laws and lack of reciprocity. For more information on telehealth, check out this page from the TeleMental Health Institute.
Other Concerns
But there are also other cautions. You should:
- Thoroughly evaluate an app before recommending it to a client, both to make sure it is appropriate and also to ensure it won’t cause harm.
- Make sure the app is used appropriately by showing the client how to use it in session and following up with them.
- Recommend the bug-reporting feature be turned OFF, as developers may use it inappropriately to view private data.
- Remind the client to keep their phone private, including but not limited to establishing a password, particularly if the app isn’t password protected.
- Make sure they know how to erase their data remotely should their phone be stolen.
Yours in the Joy of Knowledge,
Dr. Barbara LoFrisco
*Source: “Ethical Considerations: Evaluating Apps for Client Use” by Debra Osborn, PhD and Marlene H. Maheu, PhD, ACA Counseling and Technology Interest Network
