The Santa Barbara County Psychological Association presents the following for 6 Continuing Education Hours for Psychologists, LCSW’s, LPCC's, LEP's and MFT’s
Patient Welfare, Therapist Responsibility: Legal and Ethical Considerations
With Pamela Harmell, PhD
on Saturday, November 5th
9am - 5pm
Faulkner Gallery
Santa Barbara Public Library 40 East Anapamu Street Santa Barbara, CA 93102
This workshop addresses therapist responsibility to 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 interventtion, (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.
This program content pertains directly to the ethical, professional, or regulatory developments relevant to the discipline of psychology: Legal and ethical risk management associated with working with individuals in a clinical setting.
Goals and Objectives
By the end of the program, participants will be able to:
1. Demonstrate understanding of personal and professional values and how to maintain “value neutrality.”
2. Demonstrate awareness and avoid licensing and disciplinary actions and note trends in licensing and civil violations.
3. Identify and increase awareness of legal and ethical issues related to cybertherapy, technology and social media in clinical practice.
4. Avoid diagnostic discrimination, insurance fraud and HIPAA compliance related to Skype and online media.
5. Demonstrate understanding of the ethical and controversial issues related to the American Psychological Association former policy on interrogation.
6. Name the four ways in which psychotherapists can be held accountable for their actions.
7. Name the two sides of whether or not Skype is HIPAA compliant.
8. Name two reasons why it is important to apply “bracketing” in the treatment relationship.
Speaker Biography:
Dr. Pamela Harmell is a national lecturer specializing in legal and ethical issues in clinical practice. She is a Professor at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology and has written extensively in professional publications on ethical practice and Past President of the Board of Psychology. Dr. Harmell is former Chair of the California State Ethics Committee, is the current Co-Chair of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association Ethics Committee. She served on the Board of Directors of the California Psychological Association and is Past President of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association. She has completed one year of law school.
SCHEDULE
8:30 - 9am
9 - 10am
- 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
10 - 11am
- Disciplinary process
- Four agencies holding therapists accountable
- Diagnostic discrimination and insurance fraud
11 - 12 Noon
- 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
12 - 1:30pm
Lunch on you own in Downtown Santa Barbara!
1:30 - 2:30pm
- Suicide – Legal and Ethical issues
- Crisis intervention
- NSSI – Non Injurious Self Injury
- Doctrine of “Respectable Minority”
2:30 - 3:30pm
- Death with Dignity
- Legal and ethical issues
- Principles of suicide risk
3:30 - 4:30pm
- Social media
- World of technology
- Precautions
- HIPAA compliance and Skype
- Reputation protection
- Confidentiality and boundary violations
4: 30 - 5pm
6 CE hours available for California-licensed Psychologists, MFTs and LSCWs
CPA is co-sponsoring with the Santa Barbara Psychological Association. The California Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CPA maintains responsibility for this program and its contents.
Sincerely,
SBCPA Continuing Education Committee
Important Notice: Those who attend the workshop and complete the CPA evaluation form will receive 6 continuing education credits. Please note that APA CE rules require that we only give credit to those who attend the entire workshop. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the start time or leaving before the workshop is completed will not receive CE credits.
