Terry Casey – Ethics with Minors for Colorado Mental Health Professionals: How to Navigate the Most Challenging Issues

Description

Those of us who treat minors and their families experience a flood of emotions. There is confusion over changing ethical codes and laws, fear that the actions that we take will lead to long-term developmental damage, and anxiety that at any moment we might unintentionally cross a line that could jeopardize our professional license and put us in legal peril.
Terry Casey – Ethics with Minors for Colorado Mental Health Professionals: How to Navigate the Most Challenging Issues
In this environment, we can find ourselves impaired in our ability to function as professionals and help our clients. We’re left with more questions than answers to the question, “What Should I do”
Combining a step-by-step guide to an effective decision-making model, the most updated ethical codes and legal statutes, and lessons from 30 years in the trenches as a clinician and ethics professor, Terry Casey, PhD, HSP will give you a solid foundation for knowing exactly what to do in situations with minors and their families. You will have much more confidence about the course of action you take involving mandatory reporting, access to minors’ records, parental rights, boundary issues, touch, and others.
Get the peace of mind that you are ethically serving the needs of your most vulnerable clients.

Handouts
Manual – Ethics with Minors for Colorado Mental Health (1.65 MB) 87 Pages Available after Purchase Resources and Tools Handout (0.34 MB) 42 Pages Available after Purchase Addendum (0.04 MB) 4 Pages Available after Purchase

Outline
WHY WORKING WITH MINORS IS DIFFERENT

Vulnerability and power differentials
Federal and state laws outlining legal responsibilities
Issues involved with older adolescents

CONSENT RULES AND ISSUES INVOLVING MINORS

Consent vs. assent
Who can provide consent?
Parental rights and consent rules
Special rules for older adolescents
Informed consent process

WHEN A MINOR IS (AND IS NOT) A CLIENT

When does an individual become a client?
Personal representatives
Ethical vs. legal considerations

CONFIDENTIALITY STANDARDS AND LIMITS WITH MINORS

Limits of confidentiality
Communications with minors and parents
Progressive scenarios technique
Parental agreements

PARENTAL RIGHTS…AND WRONGS

Default rights
Special situations
Exceptions

CONTROL OF MINORS’ RECORDS

Health care vs. educational records
HIPAA vs. FERPA
Who has access?
Responding to requests for records
Clinical records and psychotherapy notes

CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF DIVORCED PARENTS

Informed consent process
Parenting plans
Other legal considerations
Case example

MANDATORY REPORTING: THE “WHAT”, “WHEN” AND “TO WHOM”

Mandatory reporting laws
Federal definition of child abuse
State laws
Ethical considerations
Case example

BOUNDARY ISSUES WITH MINORS

Social media policies
Multiple relationships
Power differentials
Virtual relationships
Texting and messaging
Case examples

PHYSICAL TOUCH

When it is appropriate, and when it is not Informed consent
Organizational policies
Case example