Law & Ethics: Working with Suicidal and Dangerous Patients, presented by State CAMFT, Michael Griffin, JD, CAE CAMFT Staff Attorney

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The workshop will discuss key issues involved when working with suicidal clients, including:
The incidence of suicide, statistical and demographic data, avoiding liability, standards of care; identifying risk factors for suicide and undertaking reasonable protective actions, the “Zero Suicide Model,” relevant exceptions to confidentiality, relevant ethical standards and issues involving documentation.

The workshop will discuss key issues involved when working with dangerous clients, including:
Standards of care, the “duty to protect” based upon Tarasoff v. Regents of Univ. of Calif., (1976) and Civil Code §43.92, the meaning of “patient communication” based upon Ewing v. Goldstein, Ph.D. (2004) and Ewing v. Northridge Hospital Center, (2004), the “duty to report,” based upon Welfare and Institutions Code §8100(b)(1) and §8105(c), and relevant exceptions to confidentiality.

Measurable Learning Objectives:

• Explain how the standard of care applies when working with a suicidal patient.
• Provide one or more examples of appropriate documentation when working with a suicidal patient.
• Provide one or more examples of risk factors for suicide.
• Provide one or more examples of reasonable preventive measures when working with suicidal patients.
• Describe one or more examples of exceptions to confidentiality when working with a suicidal patient.
• Describe one or more examples of the “duty to protect,” based upon Tarasoff v. Regents of Univ. of Calif., (1976) and Civil Code §43,92.
• Describe one or more examples of the “duty to report,” based upon Welfare and Institutions Code §8100(b)(1) and §8105(c).
• Describe one or more circumstance(s) where an exception to confidentiality may apply when working with a dangerous patient.
• Identify one or more ethical standards which apply when working with a suicidal patient.

Michael's bio:

Michael Griffin, Esq., LCSW has been a member of the CAMFT legal team since 2007. A graduate of the USC School of Social Work and Chapman University School of Law, Mr. Griffin earned his LCSW in 1982 and his California license as an Attorney in 2002.  He has a broad professional background in various mental health settings (including Western Youth Services in Orange County, California, and Rady Children’s Psychiatry Dep’t in San Diego) as a clinician, administrator, supervisor, clinical case manager, school program coordinator, and outpatient clinic director. In addition to his work for CAMFT, Mr. Griffin is a practicing psychotherapist with adults, adolescents and children in Laguna Niguel, California.

LBSB Chapter Member $60 | State CAMFT Member $65 | Non-Member $85

 Participants will receive 3 CE's via email for attending the entire presentation