Ethics Pre-Conference Workshop
Earn 6 Ethics CEs
 
Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Client Welfare, Therapist Responsibility: Legal and Ethical Considerations
 
 
This workshop addresses therapist responsibility for ensuring patient welfare in all aspects of practice.  Participants will learn to deal with ethical dilemmas such as: 1) when therapist values conflict with patient values (highlighting two precedent-setting legal cases); 2) current trends in disciplinary process and ethical violations; 3) suicide assessment and crisis intervention; 4) current ethical standard of care in the world of technology, reputation protection, Skype, texting, social media and HIPAA compliance; 5) history and current updates related to the American Psychological Association allegedly conspiring to participate in “torture” techniques after 9/11. Literature updates, along with relevant Codes of Ethics and current expert opinion, will be included in all areas of discussion. This program overviews the current research findings and knowledge that inform the practice of ethical and legal practice.
 
Upon completion of this session, attendees will be able to:
  • Understand the difference between personal and professional values and how to maintain “value neutrality.”
  • Become aware of and avoid licensing and disciplinary actions and note trends in licensing and civil violations.
  • Identify and increase awareness of legal and ethical issues related to cybertherapy, technology and social media in clinical practice.
  • Avoid diagnostic discrimination, insurance fraud and HIPAA compliance related to Skype and online media.
  • Learn and understand the ethical and controversial issues related to the American Psychological Association former policy on interrogation.
There will be two 15-minute breaks. One in the morning and one in the afternoon session.

HOUR ONE
  • Ethical considerations for intake interview
  • Value neutrality
  • Use of “bracketing”
  • Referral due to lack of competence versus discrimination
  • Critical precedent setting cases related to patient discrimination
 
HOUR TWO
  • Disciplinary process
  • Four agencies holding therapist’s accountable
  • Diagnostic discrimination and insurance fraud
 
HOUR THREE
  • History of allegations about the APA and “torture”
  • APA and CIA involvement after 9/11
  • The Hoffman Report findings
  • Updates related to the allegations of conspiracy
 
LUNCH BREAK – ONE HOUR BETWEEN HOURS THREE AND FOUR
 
HOUR FOUR
  • Suicide – Legal and ethical issues
  • Crisis intervention
  • NSSI – Non-Injurious Self Injury
  • Doctrine of “Respectable Minority”
 
HOUR FIVE
  • Death with dignity
  • Legal and ethical issues
  • Principles of suicide risk
 
HOUR SIX
  • Social media
  • World of technology
  • Precautions
  • HIPAA compliance and Skype
  • Reputation protection
  • Confidentiality and boundary violations