Supervision via Video Conferencing?

[paramour]

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M'kay, folks, I searched this one and I was unable to locate anything.

Has anyone ever had their clinical supervision via secure video conferencing?

My practicum's supervising staff psychologist is resigning his position. There is a potential issue with me continuing at the site contingent upon the replacement (if there even is one). I just learned that there is the possibility that my current supervisor could potentially continue supervising me via video conferencing (not sure if my dept will give the stamp of approval, since our contract says face-to-face, so we shall see how that pans out...).

BUT, in the meantime, I'm attempting to determine if anyone has ever had this type of experience previously and how it panned out for them? Thoughts welcome.

 

[erg923]

M'kay, folks, I searched this one and I was unable to locate anything.

Has anyone ever had their clinical supervision via secure video conferencing?

My practicum's supervising staff psychologist is resigning his position. There is a potential issue with me continuing at the site contingent upon the replacement (if there even is one). I just learned that there is the possibility that my current supervisor could potentially continue supervising me via video conferencing (not sure if my dept will give the stamp of approval, since our contract says face-to-face, so we shall see how that pans out...).

BUT, in the meantime, I'm attempting to determine if anyone has ever had this type of experience previously and how it panned out for them? Thoughts welcome.

I think id be more concerned about the fact that he will no longer have any formal connection to (or contract with) the site where you see the patients? Isn't that an issue too?

 

[paramour]

I think id be more concerned about the fact that he will no longer have any formal connection to (or contract with) the site where you see the patients? Isn't that an issue too?

The site has agreed for him to provide consultation/supervision services on a contractual basis for PhD students (me alone at the present time)... and I suspect perhaps another person who needs postdoc supervision.

 

[Doctor Eliza]

I'd call the board of psychology in your state to verify that this is an acceptable arrangement. Our state has very specific rules about supervision and I suspect they all do.

Best,
Dr. E

 

[paramour]

I'd call the board of psychology in your state to verify that this is an acceptable arrangement. Our state has very specific rules about supervision and I suspect they all do.

Best,
Dr. E

I wondered about this. I also wondered if that might have influenced the requirement for "face to face" wording our contract but wasn't certain if it would be due to rules & regs elsewhere or due to not wanting supervision to end up being via email or something.

Thanks for the suggestion, Dr. E. I will definitely look into this and mention it during my next discussion with the DCT.

 

[Pragma]

I'd call the board of psychology in your state to verify that this is an acceptable arrangement. Our state has very specific rules about supervision and I suspect they all do.

Best,
Dr. E

Yeah, I am pretty sure that supervision is mandated to be face to face in my state.

 

[paramour]

Yeah, I am pretty sure that supervision is mandated to be face to face in my state.

I found this for licensing requirements:

Your supervision needs to be on a one on one basis and be delivered face to face. Your supervisor must be licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in the State in which you are accumulating your experience. If your experience is from work done in another State, you must also submit a copy of your supervisor’s Vita along with your VEPSY
form. Group supervision, telephonic supervision, email or webbased supervision and supervision by mental health professionals who aren’t psychologists all can be used to augment your individual supervision by a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, but they cannot substitute for this experience.

HOWEVER, both I (and my DCT) are uncertain whether this applies for the practicum (pre-PhD or pre- post-doc supervision) level. We're still consulting with other faculty about this (and other potential issues), so back to waiting . . .

 

[Pragma]

I found this for licensing requirements:



HOWEVER, both I (and my DCT) are uncertain whether this applies for the practicum (pre-PhD or pre- post-doc supervision) level. We're still consulting with other faculty about this (and other potential issues), so back to waiting . . .

It seems ridiculous to me that clinical supervision would be provided to students remotely (not that phone calls aren't bad, but that doesn't count towards your hours).

Doesn't APA and APPIC have guidelines for this, too?

I wouldn't be surprised to see some of this change in the future as the age of skype therapy comes to fruition. I heard that there is at least one insurance panel now approving video therapy, and I know they are doing it in the VA now.

 

[paramour]

It seems ridiculous to me that clinical supervision would be provided to students remotely (not that phone calls aren't bad, but that doesn't count towards your hours).

Doesn't APA and APPIC have guidelines for this, too?

I wouldn't be surprised to see some of this change in the future as the age of skype therapy comes to fruition. I heard that there is at least one insurance panel now approving video therapy, and I know they are doing it in the VA now.

Been looking for it (first searches I tried were for APA/APPIC); I keep getting re-routed to results for ASBPP requirements (or "internship" supervision) but still searching.

EDIT to add info: And ASBPP requirements (for practicum for states that consider practicum for licensure) simply state individual, face-to-face. They don't indicate whether video conferencing would be eligible/ineligible or should only be used as augmented supervision (as the current state's licensing board does...).

 

[Doctor Eliza]

One issue is whether the hours will count for you under APPIC, etc. The other issue is the supervisor's liability. I know this varies state to state, but in my state, my supervisee is registered with the board on my license. If someone is practicing essentially under my name with inadequate supervision, it is problem for me with my state licensing board.

Best,
Dr. E

 

[ClinicalABA]

I find it kind of interesting that states will accept online courses in support of the licensure, but potentially not direct, actually face-to-face, but not in the same room supervision (or even phone supervision). Certainly more direct, in the moment feedback on video- or tele-conferencing than with most online instruction. Other than the rare cases where the supervisor may be modeling physical techniques (e.g. exposure or proprioceptive strategies), isn't clinical supervision largely intraverbal behavior? More and more we will have to see laws and regulations amended to account for technological changes. Face to face could (practically) only have meant one thing when the regs were written, but now there are other meanings (e.g. skype).

 

[psychRA]

It seems like there are multiple areas where the rules and regs haven't caught up with the technology. The VA is putting a lot of $ and attention into telemental health, especially if you're in a VISN that includes rural areas (so, pretty much all of them!). Since I'd like to stay with the VA for the long haul, I'm interested in getting involved in telehealth at the site where I'm on internship, but my supervisor is concerned that the hours won't count for licensure in our state.

 

[ela]

Bump for this, as I have similar questions.

My situation is - Im interested in supervision from a particular person with a particular expertise who lives in a different state. I will be getting regular supervision from my on-site supervisor, so this would be "extra".

Does anyone know about the ethics/legality of cross state, phone or skype based supervision, as an adjunct to site-based face-to-face supe?

 

[cara susanna]

Your supervisor has to be licensed in the same state in which you are seeing the client.

 

[Doctor Eliza]

Bump for this, as I have similar questions.

My situation is - Im interested in supervision from a particular person with a particular expertise who lives in a different state. I will be getting regular supervision from my on-site supervisor, so this would be "extra".

Does anyone know about the ethics/legality of cross state, phone or skype based supervision, as an adjunct to site-based face-to-face supe?

Sounds like what you are discussing is more consultation than supervision. As long as your supervisor is okay with such consultation, I would call the state board where you are training and verify that this type of arrangement is okay.

Dr. E