"In my 25 years as a
radio and TV news broadcaster, I wanted to make sure that the news I
presented had relevance and meaning to the listener.
In the same way, my
intent in teaching a law and ethics class is to present 'news you can
use', issues that all therapists think about, consider, or deal with
routinely, and to discuss these issues in a way that provides practical
answers."
Here is a sample of topics to be covered in the Law & Ethics presentation:
What is the difference between determining child abuse and investigating child abuse?
What are the dos and don'ts of reporting child abuse?
When is verbal abuse a mandate and when is it not?
Problems (and answers) in interfacing with DCFS
The Tarasoff duty is not a duty to warn.
Why your authorization to release information form may not be legally sufficient.
Is it okay to release confidential information on a release form initiated by a third party?
Breaking confidentiality when your client may be dangerous but there is no mandate.
Responding to subpoenas made simple.
The ABCs of good informed consent.
The dirty little secret of record keeping: most therapists are ashamed of their client records.
How to respond when clients want you to grant access to records of their treatment.
Thorny legal issues in treating minors.
Boundaries: the difference between boundary crossings and boundary violations.
HIPAA: is it really a threatening monster to be avoided at all costs?
Psychotherapy and the Internet.
This course satisfies the BBS law and ethics requirement for licensed
MFTs and is also required for all SCCC paraprofessional counselors.
