Messages

1. Messages overview

Messages (the page title is Team Messaging) is secure chat for people in your organization. Use it to coordinate care, ask questions, and send announcements — without putting every conversation into a profile’s clinical record. Messages stay inside your company. You cannot message someone at another organization. Who can use Messages Messages is available on School, Therapeutic, and Residential plans (not Family / Family +MAR), and it has to be turned on for your organization. If either is missing, the Messages icon stays hidden and messaging pages are unavailable. Managers and Billing users - Message any active team member (managers, staff, guests) in the company - Message self-reporters when that profile has Send/Receive Messages on — either of you can start the DM - Create and manage channels (including announcement channels) - Search message text across the company - Open conversations they are not in as View only (read-only oversight) - When something in a conversation should be part of the care record, copy that message into Daily Tracking on a profile — in the thread, click Document on the message you want to save Staff and guests - Message people who share care for the same profiles (plus company managers/billing) - Message self-reporters they have access to, when Send/Receive Messages is on — either person can start the DM - Join group channels they are added to and take part in the conversation — not announcement channels, where only the creator can post (see Announcement channels) - Mute notifications on conversations they are in Self-reporters Self-reporters only see Messages when a manager turns on Send/Receive Messages on their profile. They and their care team can DM each other (either person can start). They can join a regular channel when they are the only self-reporter in it, and read announcement channels they belong to (many self-reporters allowed). See Messaging with self-reporters. Where to open Messages On the web 1. Sign in to BEHCA. 2. Click the Messages icon in the top navigation (speech-bubble style icon). When you have unread messages anywhere, a badge on that icon shows your total unread count. 3. On the Messages page, the left side lists Channels and Direct Messages — individual chats with new activity show an unread marker in the list. The right side shows the selected conversation. On mobile When Messages is enabled for your organization (and for self-reporters, when their profile allows it), the mobile app shows Messages and syncs the same conversations. Push notifications can alert you to new messages and @mentions. Who to contact Managers maintain Team Contacts in Organization Settings. Each entry is a topic, a contact (team member), and an optional note. With no conversation open on Messages, use Who to contact on the page or Contacts next to New message. While composing New message, use the address-book icon in that header. Choosing an entry starts a direct message when you are allowed to message that person. If you are not, the row still shows the topic, name, and note, and it does not open a chat. Staff and guests see that when the contact does not share a profile with them. The mobile app shows the same list. Self-reporters do not see this list. Managers and Billing users edit it under Organization Settings → Team Contacts. See Organization Settings. Messages vs Daily Tracking notes Messages Daily Tracking notes Purpose Team chat Clinical / care documentation on a profile Saved on the profile record? No — chat stays in Messages unless a manager copies a message into Daily Tracking Yes Who can see it Conversation members (managers can also review) People with access to that profile’s tracking When you open Messages with no conversation selected, a notice on the page says chat is for team communication — to document care, add a note on Daily Tracking. Conversation types - Direct messages — one-to-one chats. See Starting a direct message. - Channels — named group chats with multiple members. See Creating and managing channels. - Announcement channels — one-way posts from the creator; members read only. See Announcement channels. Privacy and oversight A notice in Messages states that managers may review messages, including DMs. Managers and Billing users can search company message text and open threads as View only without joining them. Plan your communication accordingly — Messages is not a private off-the-record channel. Common questions - I don’t see Messages. — Family plans do not include Messages. On School, Therapeutic, and Residential, Messages can also be turned off for the whole organization. The icon stays hidden either way. - Is chat the same as @mentions in Daily Tracking? — They use similar @ shortcuts, but they notify different people. In Messages, @here, @managers, and similar only notify people already in that channel. Daily Tracking mentions notify the care team / company roles for a profile note. See Mentions, search, and manager review. - Do messages leave my company? — No. Everything is company-scoped. Related articles - Starting a direct message - Creating and managing channels - Mentions, search, and manager review - Discussing notes and documenting messages - Organization Settings

2. Starting a direct message

A direct message (DM) is a private thread between you and one other person in your organization. Use DMs for quick questions. For more than two people, use a channel (group chat) — only Managers and Billing users can create channels; staff and guests join when they are added. Start a new message On the web 1. Open Messages. 2. Click the + next to Direct Messages, or click New message. 3. In To, type a name and pick someone from the list. 4. Optionally write a first message (Shift+Enter for a new line). 5. Click Send. You can message only people who appear in your roster — teammates you are allowed to contact under your role and profile access. If someone is missing, they may not share a profile with you, or (for self-reporters) Send/Receive Messages may be off on their profile. When messaging is on for a profile, you and that self-reporter can DM each other. Either of you can start. Not sure who to message? With no conversation open, use Who to contact on the page or Contacts next to New message. If you already opened New message, use the address-book icon in that header. Choosing an entry starts a direct message only when you are allowed to message that person. Otherwise the row still shows the topic, name, and note. See Messages overview. On mobile Open Messages, start a new conversation, pick one recipient from the roster, and send. The same company and access rules apply. Continuing a conversation Open an existing DM from the Direct Messages list. Unread chats show a marker in the list; the top-nav Messages icon can show an unread badge. If you archived that DM, starting a new message with the same person may reopen the old thread instead of creating a second chat. To archive, see Mute and archive (direct messages use the same steps). Typing and read receipts In a DM on the web: - While the other person is composing, you may see … is typing… (requires a live connection). - When they have opened the chat and seen your messages, a Read label can appear under the furthest message of yours they’ve caught up to — like a simple read receipt. Channels don’t use that Read label. There’s no receipt under individual messages, and you can’t see who has or hasn’t seen a post. You only get an unread marker on the channel in the left list until you open it and catch up. Mute notifications On a conversation’s ⋯ menu, choose Mute notifications to stop new-message alerts for that DM. Choose Unmute notifications to restore them. What DMs are not for - Messages are not saved to a profile’s clinical record. To document care, use Daily Tracking — or ask a manager to use Document on a message. See Discussing notes and documenting messages. - You cannot @mention other people inside an existing DM composer (there is only one recipient). Mentions apply in channels. - Managers can still search and review DMs. See Mentions, search, and manager review. Common questions - Can I DM two people at once? — No. Use a channel for group chat. Only Managers and Billing users can create one — ask them, or see Creating and managing channels. - Can I message someone at another company? — No. - Why can’t I pick a self-reporter? — Their profile needs Send/Receive Messages enabled. See Messaging with self-reporters. Related articles - Messages overview - Creating and managing channels - Announcement channels

3. Creating and managing channels

A channel is a named group conversation for more than two people — for example a house team, a shift handoff group, or a topic like medication questions. Only Managers and Billing users can create channels, rename them, and add or remove members. Staff and guests can participate once they are members. Create a channel 1. Open Messages. 2. Click the + next to Channels. 3. Enter a Name (for example team-standup). 4. Leave Announcement channel off unless you want a one-way broadcast. See Announcement channels. 5. Under Members, type names to add people from the roster. You can also type @ and choose a shortcut to add several people at once: - @here — everyone you are allowed to add - @managers / @staff / @guests — those roles from your roster - @group — members of a company group who are also on your roster 6. Click Create. Channels appear in the sidebar with a # before the name. Who you can add Only Managers and Billing users add members. Pick people from your roster — team members (managers, staff, guests) and self-reporting profiles that have Send/Receive Messages on. - Regular channel — at most one self-reporting profile. - Announcement channel — many self-reporting profiles (they can read; only the creator can post). See Announcement channels. The @managers, @staff, @guests, and @group shortcuts add team members only. To add self-reporting profiles, pick them by name. Staff and guests do not get a member list. They see the channel name, who posts, and names when they type @ — not a roster of everyone in the channel. Edit members or rename 1. Open the channel. 2. Open the conversation ⋯ menu and choose Edit. 3. Change the name and/or members, then save. The Members field accepts the same @ shortcuts as when you create a channel. You cannot remove the person who created the channel. Mute and archive These options are on the ⋯ menu for a conversation in the left list — for a direct message or a channel. - Mute notifications — stops ordinary alerts for you; @mentions in a channel can still notify you. - Archive — only the person who started the conversation sees this. Choose Archive, confirm, and the chat disappears from everyone’s list. Use it when the conversation is finished, not when you only want fewer alerts. Staff and guests see Archive only on conversations they started. Edit (rename or change members) is for channels and is limited to Managers and Billing users. Sending in a channel People in the channel can type a message and press Send. To tag someone in the channel, type @. See Mentions, search, and manager review. In an announcement channel, only the person who created it can post. Everyone else can read. See Announcement channels. Channel messages stay in Messages — they are not saved to a profile unless a manager copies one into Daily Tracking with Document. See Discussing notes and documenting messages. Common questions - Can staff create channels? — No. Ask a Manager or Billing user. - Can I turn a regular channel into an announcement later? — No. Announcement is chosen only when the channel is created. - Why can’t I add a second self-reporting profile to a regular channel? — Regular channels allow only one. Use an announcement channel to include many (read-only for them), or use direct messages. See Messaging with self-reporters. Related articles - Messages overview - Announcement channels - Messaging with self-reporters

4. Announcement channels

An announcement channel is a special channel for broadcasts. Only the person who created it can post. Everyone else — including other managers — can read and get notifications, but cannot reply. Use announcement channels for policy updates, schedule reminders, or messages to many self-reporters without opening a back-and-forth thread. Create an announcement channel 1. Open Messages. 2. Click + next to Channels. 3. Enter a Name. 4. Turn Announcement channel to Yes. The help text explains: members receive messages as read-only (no replies). 5. Add Members, then click Create. You can type names or use @ shortcuts (@here, @managers, @staff, @guests, @group) to add several people at once. Announcement channels show an Announcement badge and a bullhorn-style icon in the list. You cannot convert a regular channel into an announcement channel later — the setting is fixed at create time. Who can post Only the person who created the channel can send. Everyone else sees a banner: Announcement channel — only the creator can post. The composer is hidden. The channel list does not label who created it. In the thread, see who is sending — that is the only person who can post. If you are a manager editing members (⋯ → Edit), the creator still appears under Members, but you cannot remove them (their chip has no ×; point at their name to see Channel creator). Only that creator sees Archive on the ⋯ menu — another manager cannot archive the channel for them. When the creator archives the channel, it disappears for everyone. Self-reporters Announcement channels may include many self-reporters as members. They can open the channel and read posts when their profile has Send/Receive Messages enabled, but they cannot reply. Regular channels still allow only one self-reporter at a time. Mute Members can Mute notifications on an announcement channel they belong to. @mentions from the creator can still notify muted members. Common questions - Can another manager post if I created the channel? — No. Only the creator can post. Create the channel under the account that should own broadcasting, or have that person create it. The thread does not label who that is. - Can members reply in a DM instead? — Yes. Announcement channels block replies in that thread only. A self-reporter and a team member can still DM each other separately — either person can start. Related articles - Creating and managing channels - Messaging with self-reporters - Messages overview

5. Mentions, search, and manager review

This article covers notifying people with @mentions, finding conversations, and how managers review Messages — including chats they are not in. @mentions in channels In a channel composer, type @ and choose a person or a group shortcut. A mention notifies that person right away, even if they muted the channel. Other channel messages may wait about a minute, and can group into one “N new messages” alert. Group shortcuts only notify people who are already in that channel. They do not add anyone new. Shortcut Who is notified (in this channel) @here Everyone in the channel @managers Members who are Managers or Billing users @staff Members with the Staff role @guests Members with the Guest role @group Members who belong to the company group you pick If the shortcut would notify more than one person, BEHCA asks you to confirm before sending (how many people will be notified). - Mentions are not available in the composer of an existing direct message (there is only one other person). - When you start a new DM, you pick the recipient in To (name search) — that is not the same as an in-thread @mention. - Chat mentions do not send email. Daily Tracking notes have similar @ shortcuts, but those notify the care team / company roles for a profile note, not a chat channel. In Messages, the same tags stay inside the channel. The same shortcuts appear when a Manager adds Members to a new or edited channel — there they add people as members, they do not send a message. See Creating and managing channels. Search and filter Staff, guests, and self-reporters The box above your conversation list says Filter conversations…. It narrows your Channels and Direct Messages by title or participant name. It only includes conversations you already belong to. Managers and Billing users The box says Search chats and messages…. Your Channels and Direct Messages still narrow by title or participant name. After two characters, Messages results appear in the sidebar above that list, with matches from message text across the company. A result for a conversation you are not in is marked View only. Manager review (View only) Managers and Billing users may open any active company conversation — including DMs — without joining as a participant. When you open a thread this way: - A banner explains you are Viewing as manager — read only. - You cannot send, type, archive, or Document from that view. - Opening it does not mark messages read for the real participants. View only results stay in that search list in the sidebar. Going straight to the conversation’s web address opens the same read-only view. A disclaimer in Messages reminds everyone: Managers may review messages, including DMs. Unread badges - Conversation list: unread marker on threads with new messages. - Top navigation: badge on the Messages icon for your total unread count. Muted conversations reduce ordinary notifications but still appear in your list; @mentions can still alert you. Common questions - Can staff search everyone’s DMs? — No. Only Managers and Billing users get company-wide message search and View only access. - Does View only add me to the chat? — No. - Why didn’t my @mention email anyone? — Chat mentions never send email; they use in-app / push only. Related articles - Messages overview - Starting a direct message - Creating and managing channels

6. Messaging with self-reporters

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. Send & Receive Messages appears on the Self-Reporting tab only when your organization has Messages. Turn on messaging for a self-reporter 1. Open the person’s profile. 2. Open the Self-Reporting tab. 3. Find Send & Receive Messages. 4. 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. Related articles - Messages overview - Announcement channels - Discussing notes and documenting messages - Getting started as a self-reporter

7. Discussing notes and documenting messages

Discuss and Document move in opposite directions. - Discuss starts on a saved Daily Tracking note and opens New message about that note. The note stays on the profile. - Document starts on a chat message and saves a copy as a note on a profile. The message stays in Messages. Discuss a note This starts on Daily Tracking, not inside Messages. 1. Open Daily Tracking for a profile. 2. Find a saved note (general note or a comment on a data point). 3. Under the note, next to Edit / Delete, click Discuss (tooltip: Discuss in Messaging). 4. Messages opens New message. To is the note’s author, unless you wrote the note (you cannot message yourself — pick someone else). The draft starts with Re: and a profile · date/time chip that links to the note in the audit log. 5. Finish the message and send. That starts the direct message, or reopens the one you already have with that person. If the note is not saved yet, BEHCA asks you to save it first. Who sees Discuss: staff, guests, and managers on Daily Tracking. Self-reporters do not. The audit log has no Discuss button. Document a message Managers and Billing users can save a copy of a chat message as a Daily Tracking general note: 1. Open a conversation you participate in (not a View only oversight thread). 2. On the message, click Document (Add to profile record). 3. Choose the Profile and Date. 4. The Note starts as the message text. Edit it or leave it. 5. Click Save to profile. The chat message stays in Messages. The new note becomes part of the profile’s Daily Tracking / audit history. If that profile has Required Documents you have not signed, Save to profile stops and says: You must sign required documents before documenting on this profile. Sign them, then try again. See Signing a Required Document. Staff, guests, and self-reporters do not see Document. When to use which Goal Use Quick team question Direct message or channel Care that must live on the profile Daily Tracking note (or Document a chat message) Talk about an existing note Discuss from that note One-way update to many people Announcement channel Common questions - Does Document remove the chat message? — No. It copies content into a note. - Save to profile says I must sign required documents. — That profile still has a Required Document waiting for your signature, such as a Client Plan of Care. Sign it, then Document the message again. - Can I Document while View only? — No. View only does not add you to the chat, and there is no Join button — even for managers. Ask a channel member (a manager uses Edit) to add you, or ask a manager who is already in the conversation to Document it. You cannot join a DM you are only viewing. - Does Discuss create a channel? — No. It opens New message. Sending starts a direct message, or reopens the one you already have with that person. Related articles - Messages overview - Starting a direct message - Reading the audit log - Signing a Required Document