Yung Sidekick Blog
Version: 1.1 • Effective Date: 10/14/2025
1. Purpose and Scope
1.1. This Policy establishes mandatory standards for the planning, creation, review, publication, updating, correction, and withdrawal of editorial and clinical content (“Content”) published on the Yung Sidekick Blog (“Platform”).
1.2. It applies to all employees, contractors, guest authors, scientific/clinical reviewers, and editors engaged in any stage of the Content lifecycle.
1.3. The Policy covers all materials relating to psychotherapy, mental health, clinical practice, professional ethics, digital documentation (e.g., SOAP/DAP/BIRP/GIRP), healthcare technology, and relevant research or regulatory developments.
2. Definitions
2.1. Clinical Content: Materials presenting or analyzing therapeutic approaches, protocols, case descriptions, indications, contraindications, outcome measures, or interpretations of empirical evidence.
2.2. Editorial Content: Analytical or educational materials—such as guides, interviews, or reviews—that inform practice but do not constitute personalized medical advice.
2.3. Author: Individual responsible for preparing the manuscript and ensuring factual, scientific, and citation accuracy.
2.4. Clinical/Scientific Reviewer: Licensed or certified professional with relevant clinical or academic experience performing expert evaluation of Clinical Content.
2.5. Editor: Person ensuring structural, linguistic, and regulatory compliance, and confirming adherence to ethical and stylistic standards.
2.6. Conflict of Interest (COI): Any relationship—financial, professional, or personal—that could influence neutrality or perceived bias.
2.7. Levels of Evidence: A hierarchy used to evaluate the strength of clinical evidence (e.g., GRADE framework).
2.8. Fact-Check: Documented verification of facts, citations, data, and interpretation.
2.9. Plagiarism: The presentation of another’s work, data, or ideas without proper attribution. Plagiarism or self-plagiarism is strictly prohibited.
3. Editorial Independence and Integrity
3.1. All Content is developed independently from commercial, marketing, or advertising interests.
3.2. Sponsored or partner materials are clearly labeled “Partner Content” with disclosure of financial relationships, involved parties, and editorial oversight.
3.3. Editorial decisions remain the sole responsibility of the editorial board and reviewers.
3.4. All contributors must disclose potential COIs, which are publicly displayed in each article’s byline.
4. Topic Selection
4.1. Topics are selected based on:
a) Clinical relevance to current practice (documentation, telehealth, workflow optimization);
b) Scientific currency, reflecting new evidence from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or official guidelines;
c) Community feedback from the Yung Sidekick user base and clinical network;
d) Regulatory updates and emerging standards (e.g., HIPAA, PIPEDA, GDPR, APA, EMDRIA, NASW, NICE, WHO).
4.2. Each topic requires a Brief outlining: objectives, audience, key research questions, planned sources, and potential risks or limitations.
4.3. Authors must identify regional variations in practice or regulation (e.g., differences between U.S., EU, and Canadian standards).
5. Sources and Evidence Standards
5.1. Evidence hierarchy (in descending order):
a) Systematic reviews and meta-analyses (e.g., Cochrane, Campbell Collaboration);
b) Clinical guidelines and consensus statements (APA, NICE, WHO, EMDRIA, etc.);
c) Randomized controlled trials (RCTs); d) Observational or cohort studies;
e) Expert statements or qualitative research, with stated limitations.
5.2. Media or secondary sources may be used only as supplementary references and require verification from a primary scientific source.
5.3. Authors must present balanced perspectives on areas of disagreement or evolving evidence, summarizing both supporting and opposing findings.
6. Fact-Checking and Originality
6.1. Every article undergoes two levels of verification:
a) Editorial fact-check: verification of data accuracy, citation correctness, date validity, and consistency with referenced guidelines;
b) Scientific/Clinical review: expert validation of interpretation, accuracy, and completeness.
6.2. Each submission must include a Source Log listing DOI/URL, access date, level of evidence, and brief excerpt (≤25 words).
6.3. All statistical or numerical statements must have in-text citations following APA 7th Edition.
6.4. Plagiarism checks are mandatory. Authors must confirm originality and proper citation of third-party materials.
6.5. AI tools may be used for structuring or literature discovery only under human-in-the-loop oversight. Entry of PHI, PII, or confidential data into AI tools is strictly prohibited.
7. Evidence Transparency and Claim Classification
7.1. All clinical claims must be labeled by evidence strength (High, Moderate, Low, Very Low) and defined in-text or linked for reader understanding.
7.2. Authors must include Limitations (e.g., gaps in data, sample limitations) and Applicability (e.g., populations, telehealth vs. in-person, cultural context).
8. Disclaimers and Liability
8.1. The Content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
8.2. The Content does not replace independent clinical judgment or institutional protocols.
8.3. In case of conflict between information on the Platform and local laws, clinical standards, or regulatory requirements, the latter prevail.
8.4. Limitation of Liability: Yung Sidekick and its affiliates are not liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages resulting from reliance on or use of the Content.
9. Intellectual Property and Contributor Rights
9.1. Authors must confirm that all submitted materials are original or properly licensed.
9.2. By submitting work to Yung Sidekick, contributors grant the Platform a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to publish, distribute, and modify the Content, with proper attribution.
9.3. Third-party materials require written permission from rights holders or proof of fair-use eligibility.
10. Review and Update Cycle
10.1. Scheduled review: every 12 months for all clinical materials.
10.2. Off-cycle updates within 30 days are triggered by: a) new or revised clinical guidelines; b) significant regulatory changes; c) discovery of material inaccuracies or new research impacting conclusions.
10.3. Each article must include a visible Version Passport: publication date, last updated date, responsible editor/reviewer, and changelog summary.
11. Corrections, Retractions, and Complaints
11.1. The editorial team will acknowledge factual error reports within 10 business days.
11.2. Corrections and clarifications are noted in-line; retractions are published as separate notices with rationale and reference to the affected article.
11.3. If a submission poses immediate legal, ethical, or reputational risk (e.g., defamation, privacy breach), Yung Sidekick may suspend or remove it immediately pending investigation.
11.4. Complaints can be submitted to editorial@yung-sidekick.com.
12. Conflicts of Interest and Advertising
12.1. All contributors must submit written COI disclosures before publication.
12.2. Sponsored materials undergo independent scientific review and must meet the same evidence standards as editorial content.
12.3. References to commercial products or services do not imply endorsement unless explicitly stated.
12.4. Any advertising or partnership content complies with applicable FTC, AMA, and international advertising standards.
13. Regulatory and Ethical Compliance
13.1. Content creation follows international privacy laws (HIPAA, PIPEDA, GDPR) and clinical ethics frameworks.
13.2. Inclusion of identifiable patient data is strictly prohibited. Case examples must be fully de-identified.
13.3. When referencing Yung Sidekick AI tools, articles must disclose AI oversight, limitations (e.g., bias, drift), and the necessity of professional supervision.
13.4. Language must reflect person-first terminology, cultural humility, and non-discrimination.
14. Accessibility, Readability, and Engagement
14.1. Articles must be structured for clarity:
Short paragraphs (≤5 sentences each)
Descriptive headings
Bullet lists where appropriate
Plain-Language Summary and Key Takeaways sections for quick comprehension.
14.2. Authors must ensure accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1):
Alternative text for all images
Captions/transcripts for videos
Accessible color contrast and typography.
14.3. International readers must be informed when a section refers to region-specific standards (e.g., HIPAA vs. GDPR).
14.4. The Platform periodically collects user feedback via surveys, polls, or comment submissions to improve future content selection and presentation.
15. Documentation and Audit
15.1. Each article maintains an Editorial Dossier: topic brief, manuscript versions, source log, plagiarism report, COI forms, reviewer notes, and changelog.
15.2. Minimum retention period: 3 years after the last update.
15.3. An annual internal audit reviews a sample of published materials; results inform corrective actions (CAPA) for continuous improvement.
16. Policy Amendments
16.1. This Policy is reviewed at least every 24 months or upon material changes in editorial, legal, or regulatory environments.
16.2. The current version is published on the Platform and takes effect upon posting unless otherwise stated.
Appendix A — Mandatory Editorial Checklists
A1. Editorial Fact-Check:
All data points and claims have in-text APA citations.
Dates, versions, and guideline editions are verified.
Quotations ≤25 words; proper permissions obtained.
Limitations and applicability clearly stated.
A2. Clinical/Scientific Review:
Interpretation aligns with evidence hierarchy.
Balanced presentation of differing findings.
Evidence labels (e.g., GRADE) explained in-text.
Regional relevance noted (U.S./EU/Canada, etc.).
A3. Article Version Passport (in byline):
Authors, Editors, Reviewers + COI disclosure.
Publication and update dates.
AI assistance disclosure (if applicable).
Summary of major changes.
