Dear families,
First and foremost, I hope that everyone is doing well as we face the coronavirus also known as COVID– 19. I have missed working with your families and I have been doing my utmost to determine how to proceed with therapy. Governor Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency for the state of South Carolina following President Trumps declaration of a national emergency on March 13, 2020.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has announced additional temporary modifications to policies as they relate to Telehealth coverage. Healthy connections Medicaid members will now be eligible to have three tele/ video communications per month.
Children who are served through BabyNet are now covered through healthy connections and therefore will be allowed to have speech and language therapy via video.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the Department of Health and Human Services will be responsible for enforcing regulations under the health insurance portability and accountability act of 1996 (HIPPA). Because COVID-19 is a national emergency we will now be allowed to provide Tele health services through remote communications, however we need to provide secured means of communication and therefore I have decided to use Web Ex System to provide therapy and insure HIPPA compliance.
I will be providing therapy through the WebEx system which I will need each of you to sign up for at WebEx.url. Once you have signed up for the web ex app and if you are willing we can continue with therapy using this method of communication. You will need to have a means of providing your child with an iPad, smart phone and or a computer to access the services. After finishing a video session you will need to “sign off” on the session at a unigue url I will be providing each family.
I will be providing the services through my computer in my home office to maintain adherence to the HIPPA rules. No one else will be working in my office during our virtual visits. My “ IT consultant” AKA my husband Darrel has assured me that my computer is secure. AdditionalIy, Darrel will help manage my website, so I ask you to email my personally if you need to discuss a confidential matter.
I have never done this before, so please understand and be patient with me as you all know technology impaired!
I will work hard to insure the best services possible. I will ask each of you to provide me with an email stating that you would like the services to continue through telecommunication. Also note you understand this modified HIPPA policies outlined in this letter and
provide me with the email of the individual who will be signing for the services after each visit as often times a babysitter or grandparent will be present during our visits.
Sincerely, Barb