Unfortunately, many agencies still rely on outdated or fragmented tools—phone calls, faxes, siloed EHR messages, or consumer texting apps. These solutions often create more gaps than they close. That’s where secure, HIPAA-compliant communication platforms emerge, changing the game for behavioral health operations.
Why Better Communication Is Urgent in Behavioral Health
Communication breakdowns are also among the top causes of medical errors and preventable readmissions. 1 In behavioral health, especially in high-acuity or community-based settings, delays in sharing critical information can escalate risk and undermine care continuity.
Agencies need reliable, real-time solutions that fit their unique care models, meet regulatory standards, and actually make life easier for staff. But not all messaging tools are created equal.
Messaging Practices to Avoid in Behavioral Healthcare
Free = Failure Waiting to Happen
“Free” messaging applications often fail to meet the rigorous standards required by Behavioral Health organizations and related community and state government agencies. Free solutions also tend to provide very limited support, if any, with users frequently experiencing dropped messages, and inadequate feature sets not designed to help behavioral health care agencies. Additionally, many free instant messaging apps are ‘mobile only’ and do not support those needing to use desktops, laptops, or tablets. When you’re coordinating across clinicians, case managers, patients, and external partners, that’s a dealbreaker.
Encrypted ≠ HIPAA-Compliant
Many turn to encrypted apps like WhatsApp or Slack. Encryption, however, does NOT mean “HIPAA compliant.” If your staff communicates patient care using platforms that aren’t specifically HIPAA-certified, your agency is at risk—legally and financially.
All it takes is one whistleblower, disgruntled employee, or audit to trigger costly consequences. Any messaging solution used by a behavioral health agency in which there is the slightest chance of sharing personal health information (“PHI”) should be certified by a third party as HIPAA compliant, encrypted, and SOC 2 compliant.
Some consumer and business-focused messaging platforms offer HIPAA compliance “upgrades,” but beware. These “HIPAA upgrades” are usually very costly and only available in the highest-priced enterprise packages at an additional monthly fee. In addition to being overpriced, many still provide features specific to healthcare organizations.
What to Look for in a Messaging Platform for Behavioral Health
Based on conversations, needs, and feedback from various stakeholders in behavioral health agencies, top-performing platforms tend to provide these critical capabilities:
- 3rd-party verified HIPAA and SOC 2 compliance
- Real-time group and individual collaboration via text, phone, and video
- Document sharing, storage, and e-signature
- Secure fax
- AI-powered productivity tools that reduce admin burdens
- Telehealth-ready with assessment support
- Patient & family communication features
- Secure photo/document capture
- Works across all devices—mobile (iOS and Android), desktop, and tablet
- Live, 24/7 support
- Tools to simplify audits and regulatory readiness
- Real-world references from similar agencies
- Affordable, license-based pricing—less than a Netflix subscription per user/month
The ROI for Behavioral Health
In a recent case study from one of the nation’s largest inpatient behavioral health providers, implementing a compliant, healthcare focused communication platform led to:
- 95% increase in physician response time
- 20% boost in treatment response
- 20% decrease in unnecessary escalations
- Faster assessments & handoffs
- Improved CARF accreditation readiness2
- Increased staff and patient satisfaction
- All within existing staffing models
These results weren’t theoretical—they were measured in real time, translating into higher revenue, reduced costs, and more time for care.
About the Author
Kristin Snowdon-Smith is a seasoned healthcare marketing leader, lifelong learner, and passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. With deep expertise in digital communication tools for care teams, Kristin focuses on helping healthcare organizations streamline collaboration, reduce risk, and improve outcomes—especially in complex, high-touch fields like behavioral health. She believes in doing the right thing, even when it’s hard, and brings that ethos to every project she touches.
About Buzz
Skyscape® is a leading provider of innovative, accessible healthcare technology solutions, committed to making care delivery easier for everyone. Skyscape provides Buzz®, a unified, real-time, AI-enabled Communication and Collaboration platform designed to affordably optimize and streamline today’s complex care communication workflows, safely, in a HIPAA-secure environment. It combines the power of phone, text, and video engagement, with critical tools for document sharing, fax, and access to Skyscape’s AI Medical Library.
To learn about Buzz (and the use cases mentioned), please contact us, or visit our website.
#2 The Transformative Impact of Communication Optimization on Care, Cost, Compliance, and Productivity for Behavioral Health Centers, (Skyscape, 2025)