Ethical and Clinical Considerations
Consider this scenario: A client tells their therapist that they wish someone was dead. How does a therapist ethically and legally handle this situation? Therapists have legal and ethical responsibilities to both their clients and greater society. Many mental health professionals face challenges determining the best course of action when clients make threats towards others. This workshop will present a history of duty to warn laws and an examination of Tarasoff Rule. Case vignettes will illustrate various situations that therapists may encounter when clients are expressing threats, violence, or harm to others. Learners will be provided with concrete and ethically sound practices to increase their confidence in managing duty to warn dilemmas.
https://nefesh.org/workshops/dutytowarn233/viewFREE WEBINAR
Duty to Warn:
Ethical and Clinical Considerations
Monday, October 14, 2024, 10:00 AM EDT - 1:00 PM EDT
Presenter: Diane Bigler, LCSW, LSCSW
Course Length: 3 Hours
Learning Objectives:
- Identify relevant state law and professional ethics regarding duty to warn responsibilities.
- Discover methods of assessing and intervening with potential duty to warn concerns and client potential for violence.
- Demonstrate increased confidence in mitigating client violence and following ethical and legal mandates regarding duty to warn.
This workshop Offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits
Consider this scenario: A client tells their therapist that they wish someone was dead. How does a therapist ethically and legally handle this situation? Therapists have legal and ethical responsibilities to both their clients and greater society. Many mental health professionals face challenges determining the best course of action when clients make threats towards others. This workshop will present a history of duty to warn laws and an examination of Tarasoff Rule. Case vignettes will illustrate various situations that therapists may encounter when clients are expressing threats, violence, or harm to others. Learners will be provided with concrete and ethically sound practices to increase their confidence in managing duty to warn dilemmas.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify relevant state law and professional ethics regarding duty to warn responsibilities.
- Discover methods of assessing and intervening with potential duty to warn concerns and client potential for violence.
- Demonstrate increased confidence in mitigating client violence and following ethical and legal mandates regarding duty to warn.
Agenda:
1. Competent clinical practice indicators for homicidality (45 mins)
Opening scenario
The Tarasoff Case, rulings
Warn vs. protect
subsequent legal rulings
State Law: variations, tour of state map and regulations
2. Summary of ethical models - NASW and APA (45 mins)
Practice questions
Key Considerations (NASW)
3. Assessing Duty to Warn/Homicidality (45 min)
Assessing threat level
Guidelines: behavior, affect, cognitive expression, interpersonal relationships
Case studies: differentiating factors
4. Clinical Considerations (45 min)
Threats made with the intended victim present
HIV status and duty to warn
Domestic violence
Reamer's considerations
Recommendations
Return to the opening case scenario
This presentation is open to:
- Social Workers
- Professional Counselors
- Therapists
- Psychologists
- Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
- Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
- Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
- New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
- Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
- Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
- Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives
Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.
- Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
- CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.