2.6 Client Communication

hopscotch providers are encouraged to utilize the hipaa compliant hopscotch platform for secure, confidential messaging and videoconferencing when communicating with the client (or respective caregiver) at provider discretion, additional means of communication such as phone, email, text messaging, mail, or fax may be used to communicate and exchange information with client/caregiver given that there are safeguards in place to ensure confidentiality if communication occurs outside of the hopscotch platform, the provider is responsible for ensuring that the method is hipaa compliant and securing a business associate agreement (baa), if necessary hopscotch providers should be aware of the liabilities that may occur with using their personal phone numbers to contact clients if contacting a client by phone, providers are encouraged to block/hide their personal number, call from their established practice phone number, or utilize a voice over internet protocol (voip) service such as google voice providers contacting clients by phone agree to maintain a professional voicemail greeting and monitor mailbox capacity to allow clients the ability to leave a message upon returned call hopscotch providers are expected to respond to client communication within a reasonable timeframe allowing no more than 24 hours between time of contact and response providers may only contact clients by means pre approved by the client and, if communicating by phone, may only leave a voicemail if permitted during any and all correspondence with clients, providers agree to communicate in a professional and respectful manner providers are responsible for setting and communicating their professional boundaries and availability with clients at the onset of treatment hopscotch providers do not provide on call crisis services, therefore providers must make clients (and their respective caregivers) aware that in the event of a crisis, the provider is not the initial point of contact the provider should notify the client/caregiver that in the event of a crisis the client/caregiver should contact 911, local emergency services, and/or local crisis mental health services immediately this should also be reflected within the provider’s voicemail message or specified call service that a provider may utilize