Description
As a mental health professional, you not only deal with critical clinical matters with your clients – you must also stay up-to-date on seemingly ever-changing laws and procedures.
Renee Martin – Pennsylvania Mental Health & The Law – 2020
Keeping up-to-date is essential in order to protect your clients and yourself. At this comprehensive one-day seminar you will gain an understanding of confidentiality, risk management, recent legislation and trends in mental health law in Pennsylvania, guardianship, commitment, practical legal options-and more, that will help you stay on top of issues that arise in everyday clinical situations.
Handouts
Manual – Pennsylvania Mental Health & The Law 2020 (16.3 MB) 202 Pages Available after Purchase
Outline
Privacy, Confidentiality and Disclosure of Mental Health Information in Pennsylvania
Constitutional right to privacy and mental health information
Inpatient and outpatient mental health services and the Mental Health Procedures Act – what survives HIPAA
HIPAA as amended by the HITECH act and as a base line National Privacy, Confidentiality and Disclosure Code
Informed Consent and the duty to explain the limits of confidentiality under state board regulations, including psychologists and recently enacted regulations for SW, MFT, and LPCs
Balancing the rights of children, adolescents and parents; the Minor’s Consent Act as amended by Act 147; rights of adolescents to control the release of the record
Special Issues
Social media and devices: Legal and ethical considerations for agencies and private practitioners – policy considerations
Shared legal custody and control of mental health information under Act 147 and the newly enacted Child Custody Law (Act 112 of 2010)
Legal Guardianship
Discovery Demands, Law Suits, and Audits
Professional licensure and privileged communications: Your legal and ethical duties as a private practitioner
Subpoenas and court orders: Duty to respond
Electronic discovery and implications for disclosure of mental health information and social media
Responding to investigations and audits
HITECH Act and Breach Notification Rules
Standards and enforcement penalties under the HITECH Act
Who is covered and what is a “breach�
Who must be notified and how to notify?
Legal Liabilities of the Professional
Duty to Warn IssuesProfessional Obligations and Standards
Fraud & Abuse Issues
Billing & Coding Errors
Documentation
