Law and Ethics of Relationships in the Clinical Setting: WMHCA

Presented By

Recorded Summer 2022

3 Ethics CEs

Session Description:

One of the most common sources of professional misconduct for behavioral health clinicians is personal relationships with clients. This 3 hour workshop we will examine the legal and ethical standards of a range of permitted and prohibited secondary relationships with clients. Both in-persona and virtual relationships will be discussed.

Through group discussion and application of real-world scenarios, participants will gain increased ability to implement strategies to minimize potential harm to clients to limit exposure to liability. This course is intended to meet ethics CE requirements.

Session Objectives:

• Identify legal guidelines regarding prohibited secondary relationships with clients; • Identify ethical standards regarding permitted and prohibited secondary relationships with clients; • Evaluate the potential clinical impact of a range of client/clinician relationships; • Apply legal and ethical standards to effective clinical work that supports client best interest.

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.