Law & Ethics of Washington State Mandatory Reporting-WMHCA

Presented By

3 Law & Ethics CEs

For many clinicians, patient lethality and mandatory reporting are some of the most difficult topics to navigate. In this 3 hour workshop we will examine the applicable Washington State laws and regulations regarding mandatory reporting obligations with a specific focus on how these rules apply to the delicate balance of protecting client best interest and confidentiality while still meeting the reporting obligations in behavioral health settings.

Participants will gain increased ability to implement strategies to minimize risk and to limit liability to best support their clients and patients. This course is intended to meet ethics CE requirements.

Objectives: • Identify and apply legal guidelines regarding mandatory reporting obligations; • Distinguish mandatory reporting obligations from the duty to avoid harm ; • Create and evaluate strategies to meet legal reporting requirements while maximizing client/patient support; • Apply the legal and ethical standards to a range of case study scenarios.

Outline: Sources of Law and Ethics Standards (0.25 hours) Cultural Context (0.5 hours) Confidentiality (0.5 hours) Mandatory Reporting (1.75 hours)

EPDC CE Hours: 3

Presenter: Eric Strom

Eric Strom is an attorney and Licensed Mental Health Counselor. As an attorney, Eric provides legal counsel, consultation and guidance to mental health professionals. The focus of Eric’s clinical practice is providing mental health counseling services to combat veterans. Eric is currently serving as the ethics advisor for the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association.