Program Description:
T
he workshop will provide an overview of current legal and ethical issues impacting the
practi
ce of mental health, including confidentiality, records, tele-health, electronic health records, boundaries, and courts. We will cover the provisions of the Maryland laws and regulations; the Maryland and Association ethical codes; how to recognize potential issues; informed consent and communicating with the client and avoiding inappropriate and/or unintended consequences; and the role of the practitioner in the court system, including responding to subpoenas, and testifying at depositions and in court. The session will also discuss planning for retirement, emergencies, and death.
Learning Objectives:
As a result of attending this workshop, it is expected that participants will have increased knowledge and understanding of the following legal/ethical issues:
- Recognize legal and ethical issues relating to the practice
- Explain the analytical processes that must be followed in resolving issues
- Describe the mental health practitioner's obligations regarding informed consent and disclosing potential conflicts to the client
- Explain professional wills and how to plan for transitions in the practice
- Explain the mental health practitioner's role in responding to subpoenas and in court proceedings
- Review the limitations and requirements for tele-mental health
Speaker:
Richard Bloch, JD, is President of Shiling, Bloch & Hirsch, P.A. and has been in private practice in Maryland since 1972. He received his B.A. from The George Washington University and his J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. He is admitted to practice in Maryland, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, the United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. His practice focuses primarily on general business law, health law, and representing healthcare providers before the Boards of Examiners, estate planning, and civil litigation. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Maryland Bar Association, and the Baltimore County Bar Association. Mr. Bloch has been General Counsel to the Maryland Psychological Association since 1979. He has written numerous articles and lectures frequently on legal and ethical issues pertaining to the practice of mental health.
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