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Digital Seminar

Ethical Documentation in Behavioral Health: Easy to Use Strategies for Better Notetaking, Recordkeeping, Risk Management, and More


Speaker:
Frederic G. Reamer, PhD
Duration:
Approx 3 hrs
Copyright:
Apr 10, 2025
Product Code:
POS150103
Media Type:
Digital Seminar - Also available: Live Webinar

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Description

Here’s the reality: your documentation can make or break your career … and if you think you’re like a lot of therapists you’re way less prepared than you think.

That’s where this training with Dr. Frederic Reamer comes in.

With over 30 years of experience as a leading expert in risk management, documentation, and behavioral health, Dr. Reamer has helped thousands of practitioners ‘do it right” so they can avoid common pitfalls, improve client care and save valuable time.

In just 3 hours, he’ll equip you with the keys to better documentation including how to:

  • Implement the latest documentation standards
  • Choose between short or long notes and detailed or vague notes based on client needs, therapy goals, and liability risks
  • Address challenges with electronic records and AI
  • Stay up-to-date with key statutes, regulations, and case law to proactively avoid legal pitfalls
  • Apply practical strategies to create clear, detailed, and accurate records

Documentation doesn’t have to be a risk or lead to legal headaches you never saw coming.

Don’t wait until it’s too late - sign up now!

Credit

Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.



* Credit Note - Self-Study CE Information Coming Soon

Continuing education credit information is coming soon for this non-interactive self-study package.

CE hours may be available for select professions, as listed in the target audience. Hours will be dependent on the actual recording time. Please check with your state licensing board or organization for specific requirements. 

There may be an additional fee for CE certificates. Please contact our Customer Service at 1-800-844-8260 for more details. 

**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 professions standards.



Speaker

Frederic G. Reamer, PhD's Profile

Frederic G. Reamer, PhD Related seminars and products

School of Social Work, Rhode Island College


Frederic G. Reamer, PhD, Professor Emeritus has taught in the graduate program of the school of social work, Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island for 40 years. Dr. Reamer received his PhD from the University of Chicago and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He chaired the national task force that wrote the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and served on the task force that added technology standards to the code. Dr. Reamer lectures both nationally and internationally on the subjects of professional ethics, professional malpractice and liability, and documentation. In addition to ethics, his research and a teaching have addressed a wide range of human service issues, including mental health, health care, criminal justice, and public welfare. Dr. Reamer has conducted extensive research on professional ethics and has been involved in several national research projects sponsored by The Hastings Center, Carnegie Corporation, Haas Foundation, and Center for Bioethics of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Reamer has been an expert witness and formal ethics consultant in more than 130 litigation and licensing board cases throughout the United States. He is the author of many books and other publications on ethical standards in behavioral health, risk management, and documentation.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Frederic Reamer has an employment relationship with Rhode Island College. He receives royalties as a published author. Frederic Reamer receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Frederic Reamer serves as an advisory board member of Ocean State Stories, Pell Center, Salve Regina University and an advisory editor for the Encyclopedia of Social Work Online. He is a volunteer with the Rhode Island Department of Corrections and the Providence Police Department Training Academy.


Additional Info

Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)

Access never expires for this product.


Questions?

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Objectives

  1. Identify the diverse purposes of documentation.
  2. Identify the implications of skilled documentation for risk management in behavioral health.
  3. Determine how to avoid common documentation mistakes.
  4. Choose ethics-informed documentation strategies to protect clients and prevent lawsuits and licensing board complaints.

Outline

The Role of Documentation in Behavioral Health
  • Effective Client Assessment
  • Planning and delivering services
  • Accountability to third parties
  • Continuity and coordination of services
  • Supervision of clinicians and staff
  • Evaluation of services
Policies and Protocols for Documentation Challenges
  • What to document and what not to document
  • Language and terminology
  • Use of electronic health records and AI tools
  • Ways to enhance credibility and mistakes to avoid
  • Third-party access and disclosure of documents to clients or third parties
  • Record retention
Ethical Standards
  • Privacy: Protect client information in records and electronic communications
  • Confidentiality: Disclosure of protected health information
  • Privileged communication: Disclosure during legal proceedings
  • Informed consent: Consent to treat
  • Defamation of character: Prevent libel and slander
Ethics Informed Documentation Strategies
  • Vague documentation v. detailed documentation
  • Long notes v. short notes
  • Decisions about third-party access to records
Documentation and Risk Management: Malpractice and Licensing Board Complaints
  • The nature of malpractice: Common documentation issues
  • Malpractice and licensing board risks related to documentation
  • Standards of care in documentation
  • Responding to subpoenas
  • Documentation challenges in the digital age

Target Audience

  • Counselors
  • Social Workers
  • Psychologists
  • Addiction Counselors
  • Physicians
  • Marriage & Family Therapists
  • Psychiatrists
  • Behavioral Health Nurses
  • Case Managers
  • Mental Health Administrators
  • Office Managers
  • Other Mental Health Professionals

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