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They Did What?! A Case Study Review of Disciplinary Actions (6 CE hours)

Course Summary

This course reviews real BBS disciplinary cases to help clinicians understand the behaviors that can trigger investigations and how to protect themselves through legal and ethical best practices. This course provides participants with the following:
  • insight into behaviors that can lead to disciplinary investigations by the BBS
  • a review and discussion of published BBS cases and the illegal and/or unethical conduct involved
  • an understanding of safeguards that could have prevented instances leading to the investigation
  • practical guidance on how clinicians can protect themselves during the investigative process
*This course fulfills the BBS law and ethics requirement for license renewal.
Download course PDF to learn more.

Course Reviews

“This is the best Law & Ethics course I have ever taken during my renewal process over the past 10 years. I appreciated the use of real examples of disciplinary actions from the BBS and how 3 different SMEs weighed in on the ethical issues. What was very helpful was how they connected the themes between the various cases and emphasized the actions one can take to protect themselves as a practitioner (i.e.- keeping accurate, detailed, timely documentation, consulting with other professionals regularly, informed consent from all involved parties from the beginning, how to recognize/avoid dual relationships, and normalizing certain responses in the therapeutic relationship). The inclusion of information about what to do in general if you are investigated and what consequences look like was appreciated. Please create another course like this with new examples for my next renewal.”
     
Bonnie L. Mencher, California
“This course was fantastic. As a licensed clinician, I do not look forward to the bi-annual law and ethics reviews, but this one was entertaining, informative, and led me to make some significant improvements in informed consent, documentation, risk assessment, and preventative license protection.”
     
Rachel Warren, California
“I have been licensed since 1996. This is the BEST most USEFUL and practical Law and Ethics class I have ever taken. Thank you!”
     
Christina Nicoloro, California

Learn More

Learning objectives

Upon completion, participants are expected to be able to:
  • Describe characteristics of an unethical dual relationship
  • Identify steps a psychotherapist can take to demonstrate they have met the standard of care
  • List five potential consequences of involvement in a disciplinary investigation
  • List five steps that can be taken when responding to a BBS investigation

Course outline

  1. Introduction and Objectives
  2. Investigations: Preparation and Response
  3. Review Case Studies
  • Case 1: Allison
  • Case 2: Bernie
  • Case 3: Carlos
  • Case 4: Donald
  • Case 5: Eric
  • Case 6: Francis
  • Case 7: Glen
  • Case 8: Henry
  • Case 9: Isabella
  • Case 10: Jennifer

Instructors

Amanda Rowan, LCSW, CEO and Founder of TDC
Amanda Rowan, LCSW | Founder and CEO
Amanda Rowan is an LCSW and the founder and CEO of the Therapist Development Center. Amanda graduated with honors from Dartmouth College, where she majored in Neuroscience. She earned her Masters in Social Welfare at UCLA. Since founding the Therapist Development Center in 2008, Amanda has prepared more than 100,000 therapists nationwide to pass their state licensing exams. She is a certified Gestalt Therapist who has worked with a wide variety of clients in a range of settings over the past 20 years. She is a highly effective instructor who has a passion for collaborating with seasoned therapists who understand what works because they do it every day.  
Robin Gluck, LMFT, COO and co-founder of TDC
Robin Gluck, MFT | Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder
Robin Gluck is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. Robin was instrumental in creating the Law and Ethics Exam Prep Program and the MFT Clinical Written Exam and taught law and ethics to Associate MFTs for over 10 years. Robin has a bachelor’s degree from Emory University, a Master’s Degree in Public Policy from American University, and a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from San Francisco State University.  
Elisabeth Gonella, LMFT
Elisabeth Gonella, MFT
Elisabeth Gonella is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 30 years experience. She has expertise in working with adolescents and young adults which includes college-based counseling, private practice, wilderness based programs, emotional growth boarding schools, and psychiatric hospital settings. She is experienced in acute psychiatric care and crisis management fostered by collaborative work in psychiatric care institutions. Elisabeth is a Core Faculty member of Pacifica Graduate Institute, teaching primarily the following: Process of Psychotherapy, Clinical Practice, and Law and Ethics and Career Development. Elisabeth has a Bachelor’s Degree from Westmont College and earned her Masters in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. 

Who should take this course

This course is appropriate for mental health clinicians at all levels of experience to better understand the legal and ethical issues that have led to disciplinary investigations, how to proactively avoid becoming part of investigations, and how to respond to an investigation.

This course is appropriate for mental health providers in California.

CE Credits

CE Credits

6 hours

Price

Course format

Online Self-Paced Recorded Audio Lecture.

How to access this course

Once registered, the course will appear in the participant’s Study Center, where participants can download the handouts and listen to recorded audio lectures.

Certificate of Completion 

Certificates of completion can be printed immediately after receiving a score of 80% or higher on the posttest and completing the course evaluation.

Grievance & Refund Policy

To view our grievance policy, click here. To review our refund policy and terms of use, click here.

ADA Needs

We are happy to accommodate your ADA needs, please email: help@therapistdevelopmentcenter.com.

Date Published

October 2024

Contact Information

Therapist Development Center email: help@therapistdevelopmentcenter.com
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*Please check your state's specific requirements.
Therapist Development Center, provider 1449, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 5/30/24-5/30/27. Social workers completing this course receive 6 legal and ethical continuing education credits.*

Therapist Development Center is recognized by the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers SW-0857.

*The Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) accepts continuing education credits given through ASWB ACE-approved courses.
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