Knoxville Area Psychological Association

THERAPY VOLUNTEERS REQUESTED:

From the Tennessee Psychological Association:

Front-line health care workers are facing tremendous challenges as they work to treat and contain COVID-19. Please complete this brief survey if you are interested in being included in a referral database of TN based community providers with availability and willingness to provide telehealth services to front-line medical staff from Vanderbilt University, and other hospitals across the state.

SURVEY LINK: https://redcap.vanderbilt.edu/surveys/?s=Y8FP99FMDM

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Continuing Education Presentation:

June 30th (Tuesday) at 6:00 pm

(Postponed from 4/21/20 due to public health concerns)

ADDICTION MEDICINE 101

Mark McGrail, M.D. &

Brittany McCafferty, Ph.D.

• Substance use disorders, and especially opioid use disorder, have been declared a public health emergency by multiple organizations.  Patient with these diseases access the healthcare system through a variety of mechanisms and nearly all specialties of medicine.  It is imperative that providers across the spectrum of healthcare understands the basics of addiction medicine and, if not assuming the role as treatment provider, be able to assist patients who desire access to care for substance use disorders.  This presentation will provide an overview of addiction medicine, from diagnosis to screening to treatment, and enable the viewer to appropriately address the patient who presents with this disease.
  

MESSAGE FROM KAPA PRESIDENT

Meeting the Needs for Telepsychology

Dear KAPA Members:

As you are likely aware, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an order declaring “a state of emergency exists to facilitate the response to COVID-19,” which includes provisions related to licensure: Executive Order

Partially in response to this order, KAPA is now receiving more questions than ever regarding use of remote telecommunication for the provision of psychotherapy consistent with social distancing efforts.

KAPA aims to provide some guidance regarding the legal and technological issues involved in providing Teletherapy, in order that our members can maintain continuity of care with their patients.

As can be seen on this page, the Tennessee Psychological Association (TPA) leadership, has arranged an online meeting (via Zoom) telehealth vendor TherapyApp to share expertise in the appropriate and ethical uses of telepsychology and to answer questions you may have: "TELEHEALTH INFORMATION SESSION."

This is a free meeting for all licensees in Tennessee. You can attend on either 3/19/20 or 3/24/20. Please use this opportunity to learn more about the ethical use of telehealth.

In addition, see the American Psychological Association (APA) website regarding the new APA guidelines for telepsychology and new resources for psychologists to use:

APA Telepsychology Guidelines: https://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/telepsychology

1) Informed Consent Telepsychology Checklist. [For use in your clinical record.  Please add your own letterhead.]

2) Office & Technology Preparation Checklist.  [For reference to prepare your office and practice for telehealth.]

JUST RELEASED (3/17/20: Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet

Sincerely,

D. Malcolm Spica, Ph.D.

KAPA President