California Law and Professional Ethics

Catalog description

The course focuses on legal and ethical issues related to the profession of marriage and family therapy and the practice of individual, couple, and family therapy in the state of California. In this course, you will examine contemporary professional ethics and laws regarding the scope of practice, therapeutic, and clinical considerations involving the legal and ethical practice of MFTs. You will also review mandated reporting laws, current legal trends in the mental health profession, psychotherapist-patient privilege, confidentiality, risk assessments for patients, and the treatment of minors with and without parental consent. In addition, you will explore topics pertaining to professional identity, including the relationship between the sense of self and human values and one’s professional behavior and ethics, legal and ethical standards for different types of work settings, and the licensure laws and process.