The availability of many mental health apps is an exciting progression of technology in the counseling field. Mental health apps can provide clients with easily accessible tools and support to aid in their growth. This training will explore key ethical considerations regarding the use of mental health apps in counseling. The benefits and risks of using mental health apps to augment counseling services will be outlined. Strategies for ensuring safety and informed consent for clients will be discussed. A grand case study featuring the ethical practice of introducing an app to a client will be presented.
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Explain at least three ethical considerations of using mental health apps in counseling.
- Define and describe the benefits and risks of incorporating mental health apps into therapeutic work with clients.
- Identify at least two best practice recommendations for ethical implementation of mental health apps.
Syllabus:
Objective #1: Mental Health Apps Landscape
- Over 15,000 mental health apps are commercially available
- Apps target issues such as trauma, anxiety, sleep, CBT, DBT, and emotional support
- Market growth driven by demand, technology adoption, and post-pandemic needs
Objective #2: Benefits of Mental Health Apps
- Increases accessibility, affordability, and personalization of services
- Offers novel research and treatment tools
- Encourages early treatment and self-determination
- Promotes equity and improves population data collection
Objective #3: Potential Risks and Ethical Concerns
- Misinformation, ineffective treatments, and unverified claims
- Lack of security or unauthorized data use and sale
- Apps may trigger distress or reinforce clinical symptoms
- Use in clinical settings still lacks standardized guidelines
Objective #4: Lack of Research and Regulation
- Only 3–5% of apps are empirically validated
- Research cannot keep pace with app development
- Studies show many apps can increase distress with constant notifications
- Particularly limited evidence for effectiveness in youth populations
Objective #5: Core Ethical Principles
- Beneficence and non-maleficence: avoid harm and maximize benefit
- Responsibility: clinicians must vet apps before recommending
- Justice: equal access regardless of device/platform limitations
- Competence: professionals must have training in app integration
Objective #6: Informed Consent and Transparency
- Most apps lack disclaimers on data risks or efficacy limitations
- Informed consent should include potential for privacy breaches
- Data often shared without user knowledge or approval
- Clients must be made aware of security limitations in digital tools
Objective #7: Data Privacy and Confidentiality
- Many apps fall outside HIPAA protections
- Personal entries (mood tracking, journaling, AI chats) are vulnerable
- Data shared with third parties, including advertisers and tech platforms
- Users often unaware of data use due to opaque privacy policies
Objective #8: Consumer Experiences and Emotional Harm
- Common themes: feeling unsupported, undeserving, deceived, or distressed
- Buggy apps and inaccessibility exclude users with disabilities
- Paywalls and deceptive marketing harm vulnerable individuals
- Security flaws increase anxiety about personal data exposure
Objective #9: Clinical Guidance and Evaluation Tools
- APA’s App Advisor screener guides ethical app selection
- Questions to consider: platform compatibility, evidence base, data policies
- Apps should be user-friendly and clinically relevant
- Evaluation must align with client needs and safety requirements
Resources for Ethical Practice
- American Counseling Association’s Therapy Apps Guide
- SAMHSA’s guide on technology-based therapeutic tools
- One Mind PsyberGuide and APA’s App Evaluation Model
- Case study practice and clinician checklists to support decision-making
Social workers completing this course receive 2 Ethics asynchronous continuing education credits.
For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 2 Ethics continuing education training.
Instructor: Diane Bigler, LCSW, LSCSW
Recording Date: 9/11/2024
CEUS On-Demand, LLC, provider #2274, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/7/2026 - 08/6/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 2hrs Ethics continuing education credits.
CEUs On-Demand, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7091. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CEUs On-Demand, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
System Requirements: Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Safari, Edge on any modern operating system (Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS). A desktop browser is recommended. We do not provide support resources for issues encountered using a mobile device.
Request for Special Accommodations: Learners can request special accommodations by contacting the administrative team at admin@ceus-ondemand.com