OUTLINE
INTRODUCTION
1. Informed Consent (Virginia Practice Standard #11)A. General Considerations
B. Replacing “Who Is The Client?” With A Different Ethical Question
C. Informing Prospective Patients About Fees, and Billing Arrangements
D. Informing Prospective Patients About Limits of Confidentiality
E Preparing for Informed Consent Conversations About Your Own Practices
F Special Considerations for Managed Care Providers 2. Confidentiality and Disclosure (Virginia Practice Standards #9, 11) A. Asking Basic Ethical and Legal Questions B. Understanding Some Important Distinctions C. Using an Ethical Practice Model to Protect Every Patient’s Rights 1. Preparation
2. Telling Patients the Truth “Up Front”
3. Obtaining “Truly Informed Consent” Before Disclosing Voluntarily
4. Responding Ethically to Legal Demands for Information
5. Avoiding “Avoidable” Breaches of Confidentiality D. Required Staff Training About Confidentiality Required by HIPAA 3. Recordkeeping (Virginia Practice Standard #13) A. Creating and Maintaining Records
B. Disclosing and Disposing of Records 4. Dual Relationships, Conflicting Roles, & Conflicts of Interest
(Virginia Practice Standards #6,7,8) A. Concurrent Ethical and Legal Obligations
B. Recognizing Dual Relationships and Conflicts of Interest
C. Multi-Client Therapy: Potential Conflicts of Interest
D. Wearing Too Many Hats in Therapy Room, Courtroom, and Elsewhere
E. Role Conflicts: Avoiding When Possible 5. Avoiding Rebates, or Remuneration for Referrals (Virginia Practice Standard #3 6. Reporting Peer Misconduct (Virginia Practice Standard #15) 7. Continuity of Care (Virginia Practice Standard #10) A. Ethical Considerations
B. Practical Applications
C. Special Considerations with Managed Care Patients
D. Therapist-Initiated Terminations
E. Creating a “Professional Will” or “Professional Advance Directive”
F. Retiring or Closing a Practice
The Center for Ethical Practice is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
The Center for Ethical Practice has been approved by National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 6768). The Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.
The Center for Ethical Practice (provider #1287), is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. The Center for Ethical Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 3/21/2021-3/21/2024.