COVID-19: Can you practice teletherapy across state lines?

3 min read

One of the many factors complicating our clinical work in the COVID-19 environment is cross-jurisdictional licensure.  During the age of COVID-19 can you continue teletherapy across state lines if your client now resides in a state where you’re not licensed?  If you’re a pre-licensed clinician (postdocs, interns, externs) who recently moved to another state, what services can you continue to provide?  And what do these circumstances mean for pre-licensed supervision hours?

As you may know, when a client and clinician are located in different states, each state has jurisdiction over the therapeutic relationship. Of course, multiple states means multiple regulatory systems, many of which are in flux during this time. In some cases due to the COVID-19 emergency, states have eased requirements, allowing all licensed mental health clinicians in good standing to practice teletherapy across state lines. In other cases, states require clinicians to apply for permission to practice in-state. And, in a number of other states, clinicians continue to be required to be licensed where they’re located and where the client is located.

To help navigate these waters, we’ve prepared a chart summarizing licensure requirement changes for medical and behavioral health providers on a state-by-state basis. We also included a link to each state’s COVID-19 resource page.

Changes to Licensure Requirements for Out-of-State Providers

State Medical Health ProvidersBehavioral Health Providers Citation  State Health UpdatesAdditional Information
AlabamaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Services Code

Emergency Temporary License Application
AlaskaYesYesEmergency DeclarationResource Page
ArizonaYesYesEmergency DeclarationResource Page
ArkansasYesYesEmergency DeclarationResource Page
CaliforniaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page FAQ Trainees & Telehealth
ColoradoYesYesDepartment of Regulation Affairs Guidance Resource Page
ConnecticutYesYesExecutive Order Resource Page
Delaware YesYesDepartment of Health Order Resource Page
District of ColumbiaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Waiver of Licensure
FloridaYesYesDepartment of Health Emergency Order Resource Page
GeorgiaYesNot foundEmergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application
HawaiiYesNot foundEmergency Declaration Resource Page
IdahoYesNot foundBoard of Medicine Declaration Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application
IllinoisYesYesExecutive Order

Proclamation for Out-of-State Health Care Professions
Resource Page Out of State Temporary Permit
IndianaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
IowaYesYesProclamation of Disaster Emergency Resource Page
KansasYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Temporary Permit Application
KentuckyYesYesEmergency Medical Temporary Licensure Instructions

Emergency Temporary License Memo – Social Workers

Emergency Temporary License Memo – Psychologists
Resource Page
LouisanaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
MaineYesNot foundExecutive Order Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application
MarylandYesYesHealth Care Executive Order 
Resource Page
Emergency Temporary License Application
Mass-achusettsYesYesEmergency Order – Health Care Providers

Emergency Order – Health Care Professional
Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application – Physician

Emergency Temporary License Application – Mental Health Provider
MichiganYesYesExecutive Order Resource Page
MinnesotaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
MississippiYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Board of Medicine Declaration

Emergency Provisional Permit – Social Worker/MFT

Temporary Practice Certificate – Psychologist
MissouriYesNot foundEmergency Declaration Resource Page
MontanaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application
NebraskaYesYesExecutive Order – Healthcare WorkersResource Page
NevadaYesYesEmergency Directive Resource Page Physician/Nursing Emergency Temporary License Waiver

Social Worker Emergency Temporary License: contact slowery@besw.nv.gov for waiver

Psychologist Emergency Temporary License: contact nbop@govmail.state.nv.us for waiver
New HampshireYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
New JerseyYesYesAttorney General Guidance Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application
New MexicoYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
New YorkYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
North CarolinaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
North DakotaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Services Code
OhioYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Temporary License Application – Social Worker

Temporary License Application – Psychologist
OklahomaYesNot foundAmended Executive Order Resource Page Physician Temporary License Application
OregonYesYesExecutive OrderResource Page Emergency Medical License Information

Temporary Reciprocal Licensure Application – Professional Counselors & Therapists
Penn-
sylvania
YesYesEmergency Licensure Waiver Resource Page
Rhode IslandYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application
South CarolinaYesYesMedical Guidance

Board of Examiners in Psychology Alert

Board of Social Work Examiners Alert
Resource Page Emergency License Application
South DakotaYesNot foundExecutive Order Resource Page
TennesseeYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
TexasYesNot foundEmergency Declaration Resource Page Licensing for Out of State Providers
UtahYesYesMental Health Emergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Temporary License Application
VermontYesYesEmergency Legislation for Out-of-State Licenses Resource Page
VirginiaYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Board of Medicine Update

Board of Psychology Update

Board of Social Work Update
WashingtonYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Health Practitioner Application
West VirginiaYesNot foundEmergency Declaration Resource Page
WisconsinYesYesEmergency Declaration Resource Page
WyomingYesNot foundEmergency Declaration Resource Page Emergency Licensure Application
The Shrink Space team will do their best to keep this chart up to date. Please contact your state licensure board for confirmation or questions. Last updated 04/09/20.

For more resources on supporting your clients during the transition to online therapy, read our post on preparing for teletherapy.

Interested in joining us in our mission to improve student access to mental health care? Click here to join our free directory. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.

P.S. We are interested in hearing how clinicians are managing the transition to teletherapy during the COVID-19 emergency so that we can find more ways to help. Please consider completing this five minute questionnaire here. If we receive a large sample size, we plan to share these results with our TSS community. We’d love to hear your feedback.

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