title: Telemental Health for Children and Adolescents: An Overview of Legal, Regulatory, and Risk Management Issues.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of technology to provide telemental healthcare continues to increase; however, little has been written about the legal and regulatory issues involved in providing this form of care to children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article reviews existing laws and regulations to summarize the risk management issues relevant to providing telemental healthcare to children and adolescents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There are several legal and regulatory areas in which telemental health clinicians need to have awareness. These areas include: 1) Licensure, 2) malpractice liability, 3) credentialing and privileging, 4) informed consent, 5) security and privacy, and 6) emergency management.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although legal and regulatory challenges remain in providing telemental healthcare to children and adolescents, it is possible to overcome these challenges with knowledge of the issues and appropriate risk management strategies. We provide general knowledge of these key legal and regulatory issues, along with some risk management recommendations.
authors.affiliation: 1 National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) , Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington.
authors.forename: Gregory M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.affiliation: 1 National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) , Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tacoma, Washington.|2 University of Washington School of Medicine , Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: David D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Luxton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D003406:Credentialing / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D008004:Licensure / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards; D008318:Malpractice / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*; D018907:Privacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D012308:Risk Management; D017216:Telemedicine / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards*