A self-reporter is someone who logs into BEHCA as the profile (the person receiving support) rather than as staff. Messaging with self-reporters is off by default. Managers turn it on per profile when appropriate.
Your organization must already have Messages before this toggle does anything.
Turn on messaging for a self-reporter
- Open the person’s profile.
- Open the Self-Reporting tab.
- Find Send & Receive Messages.
- Turn the switch on. It saves when you flip it.
Help text in the app: Allow this person to message their care team in BEHCA. DMs are two-way: the self-reporter and their care team can message each other, and either person can start.
On Manage Profiles, the Self-reporting column has a smile icon (self-reporting) and a comments icon (messaging). Grey means off; green means on. Both need to be green for the self-reporter to use chat. The comments icon only appears when Messages is available.
When the messaging switch is off:
- The self-reporter does not get Messages.
- Staff cannot start new DMs with them and cannot send on existing threads (history may still be readable for staff).
What self-reporters can do when enabled
- Send and receive direct messages with their care team (staff, guests, and managers linked to that profile). Either person can start.
- Join and use a regular channel when they are the only self-reporter in that channel.
- Open announcement channels they were added to (read-only — they cannot post). Announcement channels may include many self-reporters.
- Use the same conversations on the website and in the mobile app.
What self-reporters cannot do
- Message other self-reporting profiles.
- Join a regular channel that already has another self-reporter.
- Reply in announcement channels.
- Use manager-only tools (Document, company-wide search, View only oversight).
What the care team can do
Staff, guests, and managers who have access to that profile can start or reply to a DM with the self-reporter. The self-reporter does not have to message them first.
- A direct message or regular channel may include at most one self-reporter.
- An announcement channel may include many self-reporters as read-only members — useful for organization-wide updates to people who self-report.
Common questions
- The self-reporter still doesn’t see Messages. — Confirm the organization has Messages enabled, the profile toggle is on, and they are signed in as that profile (self-reporting), not as a staff user.
- Can a team member message a self-reporter first? — Yes. DMs are two-way. If they have access to that profile and Send/Receive Messages is on, either person can start.
- Should clinical details go in Messages? — Prefer Daily Tracking notes for the care record. Chat is for coordination; managers can Document a message into a note when needed.