Ethics, the Law, and Professional Responsibility

Course overview

This course provides a general overview of ethical and legal issues, with updates on laws and ethical standards that have evolved over time. Given that most licensed professionals working with behavioral health services have had the opportunity to take these previous courses, there is also a focus on combining updated material with more focused and in-depth discussion of ethical and legal complexities. The purpose of this workshop is to give an initial update on changes in ethics and legal standards, and then to provide an opportunity for mental health professionals to consider and discuss particularly difficult ethical and legal issues. The course will assist mental health professionals in maintaining competence in making ethically and legally informed decisions, and help participants better manage the complexities of mental health practice. The course will be taught at an intermediate level, and is appropriate for currently licensed professionals.