CFT Identity, Law, and Ethics

Catalog description

This course is designed to foster a thorough understanding of professional orientation and ethical practice within couple and family therapy (CFT). It introduces students to the CFT profession, licensure and credentialing standards, and the ethical code of practice as stipulated by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT). The course addresses the latest statutes, regulations, and ethical standards governing CFT practice. Emphasis is placed on the application of these standards in different work settings and the development of a structured approach to ethical decision-making in clinical practice. The course also explores the legal dimensions of CFT, including professional responsibilities regarding mandated reporting laws, as well as the role of advocacy and social justice, current legal trends in mental health professions, and the intersection of a practitioner’s sense of self with professional behavior and ethics. The course addresses CFT professional role development, covering interprofessional collaboration and the utilization of community resources for intervention and prevention. In this course, students will complete a 6-hour Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention Training as part of covering crisis intervention content. Art Therapy Specialization Note - Students in the AT specialization will cover CAAHEP required content, including: B.7. Art & Counseling Techniques for Working Relationships, C.1. Ethics, and C.2. Professional Identity.