Consent

Due to the COVID-19 National Health Crisis, early childhood programs across the nation are having to modify how service is provided in order to support the families we serve. At Jackson County EI/ECSE we are responding to that call by offering telepractice that is provided using video communication. The remote nature of telepractice requires we have procedural safeguards in place to protect both the families we work with and our staff.

We will do everything in our power to suggest a space in your home that is safe for your child to receive services. We recognize that emergencies can happen that are outside of our control during a telepractice session. In the case of an emergency, our staff will support your family with assessing the situation and determining the next steps. These steps can vary from supporting you in providing basic first aid, to ending our visit early, to a recommendation to call 911. Our staff will stay with you for as long as is needed until the emergency is resolved or care is transferred to another health care professional as appropriate. An incident report will be filled out to document what occurred.

We acknowledge that technology sometimes doesn’t work as well as we would like it to. To receive services through Telepractice, it is best to have high-speed internet and a video enabled device to perform video sessions. A microphone is necessary, additionally a head-set might be useful. In the case that even with the correct technology our session gets interrupted, we will attempt to re-connect over video. If this doesn’t work, our staff will call you to trouble shoot, wrap up the session, or make a plan for future visits.

Privacy and the protection of your Personal Health Information (PHI) is very important to us. In the Telepractice model, there is risk that a person may overhear a video chat on either side of the communication. Our staff will provide services in a location that is private, without the ability for someone to overhear a session. If appropriate, headphones may be used to reduce the chance of accidental disclosure of PHI. In your home, we suggest you do the same, by choosing a location in your house that is free from people who you do not want knowing about your child’s PHI and using headphones, if needed, so that overhearers can’t hear both sides of the conversation. Use hushed voices or physically separate yourself from others as able. Our staff will do what is in our power to give suggestions to help protect your privacy while performing Telepractice. Per FERPA/HIPAA privacy clause, staff and families should not record any Telehealth visits.

Our staff are mandatory reporters in the case of suspected child abuse, neglect or endangerment. If something is observed during a Telepractice session that makes us suspect a child is at risk, we are required by law to contact Child Protective Services.

Receiving services from Jackson County EI/ECSE via Telehealth is a choice. In giving consent, you acknowledge that you understand the information above and state that you would like to proceed with Telepractice. If you do not want to receive services in this way, your team will review other options with you which can include phone calls, email supports, mailed materials or a combination of these.