Before providing teletherapy services, a teletherapy practitioner shall develop and follow a procedure to: Verify the identification of the client receiving teletherapy services through the use of: A government-issued photograph identification; An insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare card; or Documentation of the client’s: Date of birth; and Home address; For an initial client-teletherapy practitioner encounter, disclose the teletherapy practitioner’s: Name; Maryland license or certificate number and type or compact privilege number, if applicable; and Contact information; Obtain oral or written informed consent from a client or a client’s parent or guardian if State law requires the consent of a parent or guardian, including informing clients of potential risks and benefits of services to be performed; Securely collect and transmit a client’s clinical data and self-reported medical history, as necessary, and prevent access to data by unauthorized persons through encryption or other means; Notify clients in the event of a data breach; Ensure that the teletherapy practitioner provides a secure and private communication modality and complies with federal and state privacy laws; and Establish safety protocols to be used in the case of an emergency, including contact information for emergency services at the client’s location. Except when providing asynchronous teletherapy services, a teletherapy practitioner shall: Obtain or confirm an alternative method of contacting the client in case of a technological failure; Confirm whether the client is in Maryland and identify the client’s specific location; and Identify all individuals present at each location and confirm they are permitted to hear the client’s health information. A teletherapy practitioner shall be held to the same standards of practice and documentation as those applicable for in-person counseling and therapy sessions.