This three-hour workshop addresses therapist responsibility to ensuring patient welfare in all aspects of practice. Participants will explore ethical dilemmas such as: 1) updates to death with dignity laws; 2) legal change from duty-to-warn to duty-to-protect; 3) handling subpoenas and court orders; 4) the world of technology, Skype, texting, social media and HIPAA; and 5) laws pertaining to treating minors without parental consent. Literature updates, relevant codes of ethics and current expert opinion are included along with research finding. Program content pertains directly to the ethical, professional or regulatory developments relevant to the discipline of clinical work. Legal and ethical risk management strategies will be discussed along with current standard of care.

This workshop qualifies for three hours toward ethics CE for relicensure.

HOUR ONE
• Death with Dignity California Laws
• Changes to Tarasoff
• Difference between duty-to-warn to duty-to-protect
• What did the Supreme Court Justices really say in 1976?
• Patient’s rights
• Least restrictive treatment laws

HOUR TWO
• Difference between subpoenas and court orders; proper handling of each
• Multiclient situations and request for records
• Couples, families and the third-party rule
• Treating minors without parental consent

HOUR THREE
• Social media
• World of technology
• Precautions
• HIPAA compliance and Skype
• Reputation protection
• Confidentiality and boundary violations

Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to:
• Describe the difference between subpoenas and court orders and gain confidence in proper handling of them within the legal system.
• Summarize the 2013 change in legal handling of dangerous patients with regard to duty-to-warn to duty-to-protect.
• Increase awareness of legal and ethical issues related to cybertherapy, technology and social media in clinical practice.