Potential Benefits:

1. Improve caregiver skills in fostering their child’s communication by focusing intervention on caregiver-child interactions.
2. Convenient way to receive ECI visits!
3. Increase therapy visits with a licensed therapist or credentialed Early Intervention Specialist.
4. Reduce cancellations due to a family member’s minor illness or provider's minor illness.
5. Reduce cancellations due to weather or other conditions.

Potential Risks:

We want to make sure you understand that your privacy is important to us and that your information will be secure. As with any service, there may be potential risks associated with the use of telehealth.  These risks include, but may not be limited to:

1. The internet connection used may not be sufficient (e.g., poor picture or sound quality, dropped connections, or audio interference) to allow for effective interaction.
2. The computer must be placed in a safe place to prevent damage.
3. Security protocols of the internet connection could fail, causing a breach of privacy of confidential clinical/medical information (e.g., all internet access must be password protected).

YOUR RIGHTS

• The laws that protect the privacy and confidentiality of health and early intervention information also apply to telehealth.
• If necessary, other technology staff who are trained to handle confidential information may be present during the session to assist with any difficulties
• Parents have the right to refuse, withhold, or withdraw consent to the use of telehealth at any time without risking the loss of services or withdrawal of any ECI services to which you or your child would otherwise be entitled.
• Parents have the right to inspect all information obtained and recorded through telehealth visits.
• Parents have the right to ask questions at any point.
• There may be benefits from telehealth but no results are guaranteed.

YOUR PRIVACY

Notice of privacy practices 

Electronic Transmission of Information

The electronically transmitted information may include:

• Child and/or family progress reports, assessments, or other intervention-related documents via encrypted email or mail;
• Audio or video files from recorded sessions, including audio clips.

Security procedures will be followed to protect the confidentiality of patient/client information and to safeguard information against intentional and unintentional corruption including only using encrypted software programs to conduct the sessions (Zoom Professional version). 

TELEHEALTH CONCERNS

Complaints or concerns to:
Linda Ledwig
Deputy Executive Director of ECI
361-573-0731 x 217
lledwig@esc3.net.