Best HIPAA compliant tools for therapy practices

Therapy practices handle some of the most sensitive types of protected health information (PHI), including mental health diagnoses, treatment notes, and personal histories. As a result, ensuring compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is not optional; it is foundational to ethical practice, patient trust, and legal risk management.

From electronic health records (EHRs) and appointment scheduling to email communication and digital intake forms, therapists increasingly rely on technology to streamline care delivery. However, not all tools are created equal when it comes to privacy and security. 

Why HIPAA compliance matters in therapy practices

HIPAA establishes national standards for safeguarding PHI and applies to covered entities such as psychologists, counselors, social workers, and mental health clinics. Any vendor that creates, receives, maintains, or transmits PHI on behalf of a therapy practice is considered a business associate and must comply with HIPAA regulations.

Key HIPAA requirements relevant to therapy practices include:

• Administrative safeguards, such as policies, training, and access controls
• Technical safeguards, including encryption, audit logs, and secure authentication
• Physical safeguards for systems that store or access PHI
• A signed business associate agreement (BAA) with any third-party vendor handling PHI.

Using non-compliant tools, even unintentionally, can expose practices to data breaches, OCR investigations, financial penalties, and reputational harm.

HIPAA compliant EHR and practice management platforms

For most therapy practices, an EHR or practice management system forms the backbone of daily operations because it centralizes, secures, and streamlines nearly every core clinical and administrative function in one HIPAA compliant environment. These platforms typically combine clinical documentation, scheduling, billing, telehealth, and secure patient communication.

SimplePractice

SimplePractice is one of the most widely used EHR platforms for mental health professionals. According to SimplePractice, there are “more than 225,000 practitioners and clinicians” using the platform. It offers secure clinical notes, treatment plans, scheduling, billing, telehealth, and a client portal for messaging and forms. With SimplePractice, providers can “turn therapy sessions into complete progress notes with AI-powered Note Taker. Capture details live, or add them later by voice or text. You’ll also get a quick client snapshot to help you start each meeting prepared.” 

Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and the company provides a BAA for HIPAA compliance.

SimplePractice is particularly well-suited to solo practitioners and small group practices that want an all-in-one solution without complex configuration.

Read also: Is SimplePractice HIPAA compliant?

TherapyNotes

TherapyNotes places a strong emphasis on clinical documentation and adherence to compliance standards. It provides structured note templates, scheduling, billing, insurance claims management, and a secure patient portal. Many clinicians prefer TherapyNotes for its robust documentation tools and compliance-first design. One user, Derik Berkebile, says that “TherapyNotes hit the jackpot with this. Not just the speed but the automated compliance to chart audits gives peace of mind as well! Still have to proofread but with minimal corrections!” Another user, Misty Hencke, praises the platform, noting that “It's AMAZING! I love it and I never thought I'd be an AI user. Been letting my clients read the generated notes with me after and they love it as well!”

Learn more: Is TherapyNotes HIPAA compliant?

TheraNest (Ensora Health)

TheraNest supports solo therapists, psychologists, and social workers with scheduling, progress notes, outcome tracking, billing, and secure client communication. It is often used by growing practices that require scalability without the complexity of an enterprise-level solution. 

Learn more: Is TheraNest HIPAA compliant? (2025 update)

Sessions Health

Sessions Health combines EHR functionality with scheduling, billing, telehealth, and automated intake forms. It focuses on usability and compliance, making it a practical option for therapists who want an intuitive, HIPAA-aligned workflow. Sessions Health allows mental healthcare providers, including therapists, to “manage their private practice or clinic and strengthen client relationships.”

Read also: Is Sessions Health HIPAA compliant?

HIPAA compliant scheduling and appointment tools

Appointment scheduling may seem low-risk, but it can still involve PHI when linked to patient identities, treatment types, or provider relationships. Using a HIPAA compliant scheduling tool helps prevent accidental disclosures.

Calendly

With over 20 million professionals using Calendy, the platform offers a healthcare-specific plan that supports HIPAA compliance and includes a BAA. Therapists can allow clients to self-schedule appointments while maintaining secure data handling practices. When properly configured, Calendly can reduce administrative burden without compromising privacy.

Read also: Is Calendly HIPAA compliant? (2025 Update)

Jane App

Jane App combines scheduling with EHR functionality and is commonly used in therapy and allied health practices. It includes secure appointment booking, reminders, charting, and billing in a single HIPAA compliant platform.

HIPAA compliant email and secure communication

Standard email is not inherently HIPAA compliant. Without encryption, access controls, and a BAA, emailing PHI can lead to reportable breaches. Therapy practices should use secure email solutions specifically designed for healthcare.

Designed specifically for healthcare practices, Paubox enables HIPAA compliant email without requiring patients to log into portals or download attachments. Emails are encrypted automatically, making it easier for therapists to communicate securely while improving patient engagement. This approach reduces the risk of misdirected or improperly encrypted messages.

Go deeper: Features of Paubox Email Suite

HIPAA compliant digital intake and consent forms

Digital intake forms improve efficiency and patient experience by streamlining patient intake, consent management, and data handling. However, digital intake forms must be handled securely. HIPAA compliant form builders protect PHI during collection, transmission, and storage.

Paubox Forms is a HIPAA compliant form builder designed specifically for healthcare organizations, including therapy practices. It is included with Paubox’s HIPAA compliant Email Suite, allowing practices to securely collect patient data without separate enterprise form subscriptions.

How to choose the right HIPAA compliant tools

When selecting technology for a therapy practice, HIPAA compliance should be evaluated alongside usability and clinical needs. Key considerations include:

• Business associate agreements (BAAs): Confirm that the vendor offers and signs a BAA
• Encryption: Ensure data is encrypted both in transit and at rest
• Access controls: Look for role-based access and multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Audit logs: Verify that the system tracks access and changes to records
• Integration: Fewer systems often mean fewer compliance risks

Practices should also conduct periodic risk assessments, as required by HIPAA, to ensure tools remain compliant as workflows evolve.

FAQS

What makes a tool HIPAA compliant for therapy practices?

A tool is HIPAA compliant if it implements administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect protected health information (PHI). This includes encryption in transit and at rest, access controls, audit logs, secure authentication, and a signed BAA with the vendor.

What happens if a therapy practice uses a non-HIPAA compliant tool?

Using non-compliant tools can result in unauthorized disclosures of PHI, reportable data breaches, patient complaints, OCR investigations, and financial penalties. Even unintentional violations can carry significant regulatory and reputational consequences.

Can HIPAA compliant tools improve patient trust?

Yes. When patients know their sensitive mental health information is handled securely, they are more likely to engage openly in therapy. Transparent privacy practices and secure communication tools can strengthen the therapeutic relationship.