Course Description:

The course meets the 3 hour mandatory license renewal requirements for many licensed professionals (Chapter 491) in the State of Florida. 

 
This course is a summary of Ethics, Confidentiality, and Mental Health Treatment. The course is based on two articles, the first of which is an article published on the APA – American Psychological Association, website about ethics for psychologists and other healthcare professionals. It is a short summary of the frequent ethical problems that are encountered by practicing psychologists and therapists, as well as other healthcare professionals, with guidelines for avoiding problems. It is full of practical tips on how to avoid common ethical dilemmas.

The second article is a comprehensive report on Mental Health published by the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States. This course provides therapists and healthcare professionals with a review of current information on ethical issues about confidentiality; values underlying confidentiality, research on confidentiality and mental health treatment and the current state of confidentiality law. This course is designed for healthcare professionals who work in both private and public, and urban and rural areas.

Psychologists, social workers, mental health counselors and marriage and family therapists can benefit from this course. This course may also be helpful for other practitioners, such as midwives and dieticians and nutritionist who also need continuing education in the area of ethics and who need to practice the principle of confidentiality.  Most states that require continuing education courses for licensed professionals require ethics courses. This course is appropriate for beginning, intermediate and advanced level practitioners who wish to learn about ethics, confidentiality and legal issues. 

This course may meet your license renewal requirements for ethics and legal issues.

Authors: Smith (first article) Surgeon General (second article)

Learning Objectives: This course will provide a professional with a review of common ethical problems faced by mental health professionals as well as ways to avoid them. Specifically, a professional will:

• Demonstrate knowledge about the most common ethical problems currently facing practicing therapists and healthcare professionals.
• Indentify specific ways in which to avoid ethical dilemmas.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the laws regarding confidentiality and the values that underlie confidentiality.

  Citation: (First Article)
  Smith, D. 10 Ways Practitioners Can Avoid Frequent Ethical Pitfalls. Boost Your Ethical Know-How with These Practical Tips on Avoiding Common Ethical Quandaries. Volume 34, No 1, APA On-Line Get First Article

  Citation:(Second Article)
  The Surgeon General’s Office of the United States Get Second Article