Laws & Ethics Update
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. • 6.0 C.E. Hours

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This intermediate course examines familiar clinical issues from a risk management perspective. It is loaded with practical suggestions and illustrative case examples to prepare you to examine problematic issues before they arise, and to teach you what to do when facing various clinical situations.

This course is designed to satisfy the California BOP requirement that all Psychologists complete a laws and ethics course each licensing cycle, and the BBS’s new rule that all MFTs and LCSWs complete six or more hours of CE in laws and ethics each licensing cycle.

DO YOU WANT A HOME-STUDY COURSE INSTEAD?

For a home-study course on laws and ethics, simply click here.

TOPICS

• Professional Issues, Ethics, Laws, Rules, Regulations Update
• Licensing Board Trends, Tips & Traps
• Confidentiality & Privilege
• HIPAA Update & Compliance Tips (To download a copy of Dr. Hedge's 29-page article with forms Guidelines for Compliance with Federal HIPAA Laws For Mental Health Professionals simply Click Here)
• Record-Keeping & Storage Guidelines
• Boundary Issues & Dual Relationships
• Consultation & Supervision
• Dangerousness & Duty to Warn
• Suicide Risk Management & Prevention
• Unique Risks for Group Practices & Agency Clinicians

BONUS

• Attending this risk management course annually may entitle you to a 5-10% malpractice premium credit. Please refer to your policy or consult your carrier (e.g., APA, APAIT, NPG, TIG) for details.

• This risk management course is approved by the American Professional Agency, Inc. and qualifies for a 5% discount on psychology policies.

GOALS

At the conclusion of this program you should be better able to:

• Understand and implement new laws, rules, and regulations.
• Manage the unique risks associated with your specialty.

SPEAKER PROFILE

John L. Fleer, Ph.D., J.D. is an Attorney at Law specializing in the representation of of mental health professionals in civil litigation and licensing board matters. He has been an Attorney At Law for more than 22 years.  As an attorney, he specializes in representing medical and mental health professionals in both civil (e.g., malpractice cases) and administrative (e.g., licensing board) matters.  His clients include individual professionals as well as hospitals.  He served on the Task Force that oversaw the Revision of the APA Ethics Code and was hired by APA to consult on the APA ethics code revisions.  He has written many articles and made numerous presentations about psychotherapy ethics, record-keeping, patient violence, patient rights, suicide, involuntary treatment, dual relationships, sexual misconduct claims against professionals, and the legal regulation of mental health and medical services.  Additionally, he has served as a hospital hearing officer as well as a Judge Pro Tem.

Dr. Fleer will solely be teaching the courses in Nothern California; namely, Berkeley (July 16), and Burlingame (August 27).
Lawrence E. Hedges, Ph.D., ABPP is a Psychologist (#PSY 3567) and Psychoanalyst in private practice specializing in the training of psychotherapists and psychoanalysts. He is a Diplomate in Clinical Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology, the director of the Listening Perspectives Study Center and the founding director of the Newport Psychoanalytic Institute. He is the author of numerous publications on the practice of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, including the following texts Listening Perspectives in Psychotherapy, Interpreting the Countertransference, Strategic Emotional Involvement, Working the Organizing Experience, and Remembering, Repeating & Working Through Childhood Trauma. His books on professional issues, ethics, and risk management in psychotherapy include Therapists at Risk and Facing the Challenge of Liability in Psychotherapy: Practicing Defensively. Click Here to download the bibliography from the latest edition of Dr. Hedges' book, Therapists At Risk.

During the summer (June-August) and fall (September-December), Dr. Hedges will be teaching all couress in Southern California.

For a home-study course on laws and ethics by Dr. Hedges, simply click here.
James R. Rogers, J.D. is an Attorney at Law specializing in representing mental health professionals. He received his Juris Doctorate from California Western School of Law in San Diego, where he was a member of Law Review, and staff editor of the California Western International Law Journal. He is licensed to practice law in California and Virginia. Mr. Rogers will be serving as a substitute as necessary for Dr. Hedges.
Photo Coming Soon. Pamela Ann Thatcher , J.D. is an Attorney at Law specializing in representing mental health professionals. Ms. Thatcher will be serving as a substitute as necessary for Dr. Fleer, Dr. Hedges, and Mr. Rogers

NOTE: In June 2005, Ms. Thatcher will begin serving as a Superior Court Judge and resigned from teaching. Congratulations!

Bridgette A. Webster , J.D. is an associate attorney with the Law Offices of James R. Rogers that specializes in representing mental health professionals. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. She served as a judicial extern to the Honorable John Rhoades of the United States District Court, Southern District of California. Subject to her availability, Ms. Webster co-teachs the course with Mr. Rogers.