Inland Empire Chapter of CAMFT

Key Legal and Ethical Issues for Mental Health Professionals: What Therapists Should Always Do, Never Do and/or Really Don’t Have to Do

Michael Griffin, J.D., LCSW, Staff Attorney, presents this six-hour workshop that focuses upon legal and ethical issues that have fundamental importance to psychotherapists. The specific topics which are addressed vary from workshop to workshop, but typically include some discussion of standards of care, scope of practice, scope of competence, consent/informed consent for treatment, consent for the treatment of minors, avoiding conflicts of interest, psychotherapist-patient privilege, confidentiality, handling requests for records, key aspects of documentation, avoiding problems during termination, avoiding problems when working with clients who are involved with the legal system, writing letters for clients, working with dangerous and/or suicidal clients and issues related to the provision of services via telehealth.

Learning Objectives:      

1.    Understand/apply the term standard of care as it pertains to psychotherapists.

2.    Understand/apply the terms scope of practice and scope of competence in clinical practice.

3.    Understand/distinguish consent for treatment of adults vs. consent for the treatment of minors.

4.    Understand/distinguish dual relationships and conflicts of interest.

5.    Understand/distinguish psychotherapist-patient privilege and confidentiality.

6.    Identify legal and ethical requirements for handling requests for patient records.

7.    Identify legal and ethical issues which may arise when working with dangerous and/or suicidal clients.

8.    Identify legal and ethical issues which may arise during termination.

9.    Identify legal and ethical issues which may arise when writing letters for clients.

10. Identify legal and ethical issues which may arise when working with clients who are involved with the legal system.

11. Identify legal and ethical issues which may arise when providing services via telehealth.

12. Identify legal and ethical considerations in the documentation of treatment.

Bio:

Michael Griffin, J.D., LCSW, is an attorney at law and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Mr. Griffin received his MSW degree from the USC School of Social Work in 1980, and obtained his LCSW in 1982. Mr. Griffin was a member of the first graduating class at Chapman University School of Law in 1998 and acquired his law license in 2002.

Mr. Griffin has a broad background of experience as a mental health professional. Over the course of his career, he has been employed as a therapist, clinical case manager, clinical supervisor to MFT Interns and Associate Clinical Social Workers, served as a program manager, and outpatient clinic director, and was the director of clinical operations for one of the largest non-profit organizations in Orange County, California. For several years, Mr. Griffin was employed in the department of Psychiatry at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, CA. During his time there, he worked as a child-family therapist, clinical supervisor, and outpatient clinic director, and was the coordinator of school-based mental health programs. Mr. Griffin is a practicing psychotherapist in Orange County, CA, and is an attorney with CAMFT, where he consults with CAMFT’s members regarding legal and ethical issues. 

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