Legal/Regulatory
HIPAA and VOCA Compliance
There are some HIPAA and VOCA guidelines related to the delivery of TMH services.
HIPAA Compliance Resources
- HIPAA & Telehealth: A Stepwise Guide to Compliance – this fact sheet from The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers (NCTRC) is dedicated to building sustainable telehealth programs and improving health outcomes for rural and underserved communities.
- Protecting patients’ privacy – this page on Telehealth.HHS.gov provides some guidance on maintaining privacy for TMH clients.
- Data Privacy and Telehealth: Protect the Data, Protect the Patient – this article from the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) outlines four best practices for data privacy and telehealth.
For CACs that are funded by VOCA or are under an umbrella organization that serves victims of domestic violence, it is important to note that VOCA/VAWA confidentiality guidelines are set at a higher standard than HIPAA.
VOCA Compliance Resources
- Guidance for Implementing the Federal Confidentiality Provisions for Children’s Advocacy Centers Funded by the Michigan Division of Victim Services – While designed for the state of Michigan, this document provides a good overview of the federal VOCA guidelines and how they apply to CACs
- VAWA, VOCA, and FVPSA Confidentiality Laws: A Comparison Chart – This document from the Victim Rights Law Center provides a comparison of Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) confidentiality standards.
Page Last Updated: June 2024
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