Ethical Considerations of Duty to Warn and Homicide Risk Assessment 3.0 ETHICS CREDIT HOURS
Course Overview:
Consider this scenario: A client tells their therapist that they wish someone was dead. How does a therapist ethically and legally handle this situation? Therapists have legal and ethical responsibilities to both their clients and greater society. Many mental health professionals face challenges determining the best course of action when clients make threats towards others. This workshop will present a history of duty to warn laws and an examination of Tarasoff Rule. Case vignettes will illustrate various situations that therapists may encounter when clients are expressing threats, violence, or harm to others. Learners will be provided with concrete and ethically sound practices to increase their confidence in managing duty to warn dilemmas. In addition, there will be in-depth discussion of how clinicians can engage in thorough homicide risk assessment with clients.
This engaging workshop will help clinicians distinguish between ethical termination and unethical abandonment from an NASW ethical perspective. Through case studies, guided discussions, and practical strategies, participants will gain clarity on when and how to end treatment responsibly. You’ll also explore the emotional impact of termination on both clients and clinicians and review strategies to reduce premature termination rates.
By the end of this training, you’ll feel more confident and prepared to facilitate ethical terminations, protect client well-being, and uphold professional standards.
Presenter:
Diane Bigler, LCSW, LSCSW, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Missouri and Kansas with over 25 years of experience in the mental health field. She has held clinical positions as an outpatient and in-home therapist and clinical supervisor. Diane was an Adjunct Professor of Social Work for 10 years at The University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare and a Field Liaison and Field Instructor. She has also held administrative positions as a program Director and Coordinator. Diane is a popular local and national trainer on a wide variety of mental health and workplace development topics for clinicians and corporations. Diane is most passionate about providing quality professional development to clinicians, employees, and leaders. For fun, Diane loves to spoil her four Dachshunds and rock out to 80’s music.
