Law and Ethics

Is it legal for therapists to accept gifts from clients? Is it ethical? At what point is a gift considered too valuable? These are just a few of the questions we receive from associates who struggle with the nuance of gift-giving within the therapeutic relationship. The short answer is that there are no legal or ethical prohibitions against giving or receiving gifts between therapists and clients. And there’s no set guidelines for the monetary value of gifts. However, depending on the situation, ethical dilemmas (like dual relationships) and legal ramifications can arise when a potential gift

One of the most fundamental aspects of navigating a new career as a psychotherapist is learning the business practices and policies that protect you and your clients. For many pre-licensed associates, this can feel like a daunting task. It’s no secret that these rules and regulations are extensive and include quite a few moving parts. This month’s blog cannot address every policy-related issue, but our MFT and LCSW exam prep programs will help you learn what you need to know to succeed. Below, we provide a brief overview of the specific business categories the BBS wants you to be proficient in

This month we're going to tackle an important topic of confidentiality as it relates to the law and ethics exam preparation. Confidentiality is both a legal and an ethical requirement placed on the therapist that restricts the volunteering of information obtained in a therapeutic relationship. By and large, maintaining confidentiality is the default state for therapists. However, there are mandatory and permitted exceptions to the rule, and the BBS wants you to know the information inside-out for the LMFT, LCSW, and LPCC law & ethics exams. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of the confidentiality

“My client disclosed XYZ. Is that a mandated report?” This is one of the most common questions that I hear among trainees and associates, who often feel anxious about mandated reporting in the earlier stages of their career. It’s an incredibly important subject to know how to navigate legally and ethically in real life, and you can expect the BBS to test your knowledge on it at length. So, let’s start with the basics. What is a mandated reporter? All pre-licensed and licensed social workers and therapists are considered mandated reporters. This means that we’re legally obligated to report

As I coach our LMSW and LCSW customers, the question of the ‘why’-the purpose of the test- sometimes comes up. Ultimately, the ASWB exists for the purpose of public safety. The ASWB exists to be a gatekeeper to the profession, ensuring licensed social workers are able to practice safely and ethically. So many questions on the exam fall under safety and ethics. (And so many of our challenging situations once we’re licensed come from ethical issues; more on our ethics CE offerings below!). ASWB Exam Prep: Ethics So what happens when a social worker acts in a manner that is unsafe or that goes

In recent weeks, we have received a significant number of inquiries about the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapist’s (CAMFT) revised Code of Ethics (CoE) and what it means for the licensing exams (California MFT Law & Ethics and Clinical). We are well aware that exam-related changes often cause anxiety. In an effort to quell some of your anxiety, we thought it would be helpful to provide an overview of the changes and explore how these changes will affect the content of your licensing exam. In brief, the most important thing to know about the changes to the Code of Ethics is

(Updated November 30, 2020) We hope everyone continues to stay safe and that you and your loved ones are doing well during these challenging times. Since March, a lot has changed, and as a consequence, many questions have arisen. The goal of this blog is to answer frequently asked questions we've received about the licensing exams as the pandemic continues to affect exams. Are testing centers open? The answer to this question depends on where you live. At this time, mental health is considered an essential service. As a consequence, some testing centers have reopened to allow MFT, social work

This month’s California law and ethics practice question tests your knowledge of legal and ethical issues regarding advertising. If you are an associate MFT, Social Worker, or PCC in California, you can expect to see questions related to this topic appear on your exam Law and Ethics exams. It’s important to know the legal requirements, delineated in the CA Business and Professions Code and the ethical obligations included in your professions code of ethics. The BBS falls under the Department of Consumer Affairs and wants to ensure consumers have the correct information to make informed

Last month, the California law and ethics practice question tested your knowledge on HIPAA. This month, we are continuing with this theme and exploring insurance more generally. It’s possible, though highly unlikely, that you have avoided working with insurance thus far. Regardless, the BBS expects you to be familiar with the issues that arise when working with insurance. You can definitely expect to be tested on the subject. And while this blog cannot address every insurance-related issue, it will provide you an opportunity to test your knowledge on a key issue for the topic. How might the

This month’s free California law and ethics practice question will test your knowledge on HIPAA. What is HIPAA? HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 has been around for more than two decades. The law is so complex, that even 20+ years later, it’s still difficult for many MFTs and social workers (not to mention other health care providers) to navigate. Not a day passes without at least one HIPAA-related question showing up in my inbox. While this blog cannot cover everything you need to know about HIPAA, it will provide you an opportunity to test your knowledge