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California Legal and Ethical Issues for Mental Health Clinicians, 4/26/2021 12:00:00 AM CDT, Digital Seminar More info »
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Digital Seminar

California Legal and Ethical Issues for Mental Health Clinicians


Speaker:
Susan Lewis, Ph.D., J.D.
Duration:
5 Hours 53 Minutes
Format:
Audio and Video
Copyright:
May 12, 2014
Product Code:
POS061450
Media Type:
Digital Seminar - Also available: Digital Seminar | DVD

  • Program no longer active
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Description

  • Avoid litigation dilemmas, complaints and malpractice actions
  • The latest updates on HIPAA and California laws and regulations
  • What every California mental health professional needs to know to avoid litigation!

Join Susan Lewis, psychologist and attorney, for this must-attend seminar that will prepare you for litigation issues which can put your client, your license and your practice at risk. You will learn how to structure your practice to limit exposure of risk, as well as discover simple records, notes and actions that will protect you in the event of a complaint. Susan will provide you with the following take home tools to minimize risk:

  • Updates on HIPAA and California laws and regulations
  • Risk management strategies
  • How to avoid litigation dilemmas, complaints and malpractice actions
  • Best practices in the professional relationship, informed consent and office policies

You will learn through problem-solving discussions that are representative of actual ethical decisions you encounter in your clinical practice. The blending of Susan’s experience as a lawyer, work within the court system and extensive clinical experience makes her a hands-on, knowledgeable instructor!

OUTLINE

Clinician-Client Relationship

  • Law vs. ethics
  • Elements of legal informed consent
  • Nuts and bolts of office policies
    • Records vs. psychotherapy notes
    • What to put in a record
  • Limitations on confidentiality
    • California case law & danger to others
    • California duty to warn potential victims
  • HIPAA
    • The latest updates you need to know

Practical Approach to Risk Management

  • Elements of consent
  • Competence & scope of practice
  • Boundary violations/crossings
  • Issues with modern technology
    • Texting, cell phones, e-mail, video psychotherapy
  • Perils of supervision

Litigation

  • Licensing complaints & malpractice lawsuits
    • California specific statues
    • California rules and regulations
    • Case law and how to find it

Navigate the Legal System

  • Roles of attorneys
  • Confidentiality/privilege
  • Subpoena & disclosure of confidential information
  • Depositions, interrogatories, expert testimony

Treatment of Minors

  • California age of majority
  • Consent to treatment
  • Privilege/confidentiality
  • Separation & divorce

Case Studies

OBJECTIVES

  • Explain the best practices in the professional relationship; informed consent, office policies and California limits on confidentiality.
  • Discuss updates on HIPAA and California laws and regulations.
  • Identify risk management strategies in clinical practice.
  • Describe how to avoid litigation dilemmas, licensing complaints and malpractice actions.
  • Summarize the California legal system to better your understanding.
  • Outline the differences for treatment of minors.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Susan J. Lewis, Ph.D., J.D., is a licensed psychologist, forensic psychologist and an attorney. Susan has 25 years of experience in clinical practice. She is experienced with a varied clinical population that has included: sex offenders, prison inmates, self-injurious individuals, as well as forensic patients. She has held positions as a clinical program director, supervisor for psychiatry residents and psychology doctoral interns. She has conducted trainings on the interface between law and mental health. Susan teaches The Psychology of Criminal Behavior at Harvard University.

She maintains a private clinical practice in Massachusetts. In her role as a consultant, Susan works with attorneys on controversial issues such as dangerousness, competence to stand trial and criminal responsibility evaluations in addition to civil and criminal commitment. She also works with attorneys on strategies and how mental illness might impinge on legal decision making. She has been adjudicated an expert in almost all of the district and superior courts in Massachusetts. In 2010, she appeared on a talk show analyzing the mental health and legal issues facing Amy Bishop, who stands accused of the murder of three academic colleagues at the University of Alabama.

Her extensive clinical experience makes her a hands-on, knowledgeable instructor. She is engaging and has a wonderful sense of humor, which she brings to her seminars.


To order the book, EMDR Made Simple: 4 Approaches to Using EMDR with Every Client, please visit our product store.

To order the book, Psychopharmacology: Straight Talk on Mental Health Medications, 2nd Ed., please visit our product store.


 

 

Credit


* Credit Note - **

NOTE: Tuition includes one free CE Certificate (participant will be able to print the certificate of completion after completing the on-line post-test (80% passing score) and completing the evaluation). 

Continuing Education Information:  Listed below are the continuing education credit(s) currently available for this non-interactive self-study package. Please note, your state licensing board dictates whether self-study is an acceptable form of continuing education, as well as which credit types are acceptable for continuing education hours. Please refer to your state rules and regulations. If your profession is not listed, please contact your licensing board to determine your continuing education requirements and check for reciprocal approval. For other credit inquiries not specified below, please contact cepesi@pesi.com or 800-844-8260 before the event.

Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession.  As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession's standards.  

For Planning Committee disclosures, please statement above.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.


* Credit Note - Ethics

This self-study activity includes 6.0 hours of State ethics instruction. Not all boards allow ethics credit for self-study products. If ethics is not specified within your licensing board’s approval statement below, please contact your board to determine the applicability and amount of ethics allowed.


Counselors - Counselors

This intermediate self-study activity consists of 6.25 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please save the course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from the activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements.


Social Workers - Social Workers

PESI, Inc., #1062, 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. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for the course. ACE provider approval period: January 27, 2017 - January 27, 2020. Social Workers completing this course receive 6.25 (Ethics) continuing education credits for completing this intermediate level course. A certificate of attendance will be awarded at the end of the program to social workers who complete the program evaluation. Full attendance is required. No partial credit will be offered for partial attendance. 


Marriage & Family Therapists - Marriage & Family Therapists

This self-study activity consists of 6.25 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please save this course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from this self-study activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements. 


Addiction Counselors - California Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (CCAPP-EI)

PESI, Inc. is an approved provider by the CCAPP-EI, Provider #: OS-03-036-1025. This activity meets the qualifications for 6.0 CEH's (continuing education hours).


Addiction Counselors - Addiction Counselors - NAADAC

NAADAC

This self-study course has been approved by PESI, Inc., as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for 7.5 CE in the skill group. NAADAC Provider #77553. PESI, Inc. is responsible for all aspects of their programming. Full attendance is required; no partial credit will be awarded for partial attendance.


Nurses - Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, and Clinical Nurse Specialists

This intermediate activity is approved for 6.25 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please contact your licensing board to determine if they accept programs or providers approved by other national or state licensing boards. A certificate of attendance will be awarded at the end of the program to participants who are in full attendance and who complete the program evaluation.


Nurses - California Nurses

PESI, Inc. is a provider approved by the California Board of  Registered Nursing, Provider #: 17118 for 6.0 self-study contact hours. 

** You will need to provide your license number to PESI. PESI must have this number on file in order for your hours to be valid.


California Social Workers, Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Licensed Educational Psychologists

The State of California, Board of Behavioral Sciences will recognize and accept continuing education programs that are sponsored by providers approved by the APA and the ASWB. Full participation in this self-study course will qualify for 6.0 hours of continuing education credit.


Other Professions

This self-study activity qualifies for 6.25 continuing education clock hours as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your activity advertisement and certificate of completion, and contact your own board or organization for specific requirements.



Handouts/Brochure

Speaker

Susan Lewis, Ph.D., J.D. Related seminars and products


Susan J. Lewis, Ph.D., J.D., is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist and lawyer. She has over 25 years of experience in clinical practice with unique populations that have included female sexual offenders incarcerated at a woman’s prison, self-injurious individuals, forensic patients and individuals who suffer from severe and persistent mental illness. In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Lewis has served in leadership roles as clinical director, program manager, and supervisor for psychiatry residents and post-doctoral psychologists.

 

Currently, Dr. Lewis teaches courses on Law and Ethics in Mental Health that are state specific to the laws of each state. She has also lectured nationwide on the DSM-5® and differential diagnosis. She taught courses at Harvard’s Extension School and Northeastern University on The Psychology of Criminal Behavior. She is the author of Legal and Ethical Issues for Mental Health Clinicians: Best Practices for Avoiding Litigation, Complaints and Malpractice (PPM, 2016) and her latest book From Deep Within: A Forensic and Clinical Psychologist's Journey (2018).

 

A sought-after consultant, Dr. Lewis works with attorneys on controversial issues such as dangerousness, competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility evaluations, and civil and criminal commitment. She works with attorneys on strategies of how mental illness might impinge on legal decision-making. Dr. Lewis has been adjudicated an expert in almost all of the district and superior courts in Massachusetts.

 

Her extensive clinical experience makes her a hands-on, knowledgeable instructor. She is engaging and has a wonderful sense of humor, which she brings to her seminars.

 

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Susan Lewis is in private practice. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Susan Lewis is a member of the American Psychological Association.


Alternate Options

Additional Info

Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)

Access never expires for this product.


Target Audience

Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Case Managers, Addiction Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, Nurses, and other Mental Health Professionals

Reviews

5
4
3
2
1

Overall:      4

Total Reviews: 22

Comments

Elizabeth M

"None."

John R

"Technology issues beyond presenter control in some regards, apparently video did go live, but was never able to see her."

Veena N

"Disappointed with failure of technology. The presentation was disorganized"

Corinna C

"she was so disorganized and flustered. She went off on tangents too much and did not go into much detail about what was on the slides. Everything was a story and she used her preferences/experience as recommended guidance on sensitive topics that are open to interpretation - potentially misguided for novice practictioners."

George V

"This was one of the worst CEs that I have done with PESI. Dr. Lewis was dressed inappropriately, perseverated concerning her past experiences (at the cost of addressing all the slides appropriately), exhibited mild word finding difficulties (and I say this as someone who works at skilled nursing facilities with geriatric patient), and did not address all the material on which we were tested. I will never register for another CE with her! PESI needs to do periodic audits of their CEs."

Guadalupe V

"Excellent training."

Paul E

"There were a few test questions that were not addressed in the course material"

Juliet R

"Instructor was dynamic, honest, and up to date with relevant information."

Mary N

"Susan Lewis is an excellent presenter!! I have taken 2 Legal and Ethics courses by her. Great!!!"

Marylou V

"I now have very clear guidelines as to how to address legal issues AND protect my license. Thank you! "

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