“Informed” consent? Ethical considerations for clinicians using therapy-matching platforms

“Informed” consent? Ethical considerations for clinicians using therapy-matching platforms
Colette N. Delawalla, Lorenzo Lorenzo-Luaces
Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2024; 92(12)
Abstract
Mental health care in the United States is prohibitively difficult to access. Barriers of entry include a shortage of providers, high cost of services, insufficient insurance coverage, and layers of bureaucracy. This problem of low supply and high demand created a unique environment for capitalist problem solvers to enter the therapeutic market, via “therapy-matching platforms.” Several ethically related Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaints and independent investigations into these platforms highlight that the forward progress is not without growing pains. This commentary focuses on ensuring proper informed consent when providing services on therapy-matching platforms (e.g., BetterHelp, TalkSpace).