Online and distance behavioral health has come of age. It is important for social workers and other behavioral health professionals to adopt best practices to provide remote services ethically. For some practitioners, remote delivery of services reaches clients who live long distances from their office, face scheduling challenges, or whose special needs limit their ability to travel. For other practitioners, online and distance behavioral health has become a sudden necessity because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
It is essential for practitioners to keep pace with rapidly evolving ethical and legal standards governing online and distance practice. This webinar will provide a state-of-the-art overview of prevailing standards in social work and behavioral health. During this unique webinar, social work ethicist Frederic Reamer and Attorney Robert Landau will discuss recent technology-related updates to relevant codes of ethics; new technology-related practice standards; and relevant legal and risk management issues. Dr. Reamer and Attorney Landau will discuss potential benefits and risks of online and distance behavioral health services, and present practical strategies to protect clients and help prevent licensing board complaints and litigation.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe ethical challenges related to social workers' use of technology to serve clients remotely
- Explain prominent ethics and practice standards governing social workers' use of technology
- Describe federal and illustrative state laws that govern social workers' use of technology
- Discuss practical risk management strategies to protect clients and help prevent lawsuits and licensing board complaints
This is a non-interactive, self-study course recorded from a live webinar presented on February 5, 2021.
Instruction consists of 3 hours of video instruction and a post-test.
From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.
Dr. Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D
Frederic G. Reamer, PhD is a professor in the School of Social Work at Rhode Island College. With over 35 years of experience and more than 20 books and publications, Dr. Reamer is an expert in social work ethics, forensic social work and criminal justice.
Read more about Dr. Frederic Reamer here.
Robert P. Landau, J.D.
Robert (Bob) Landau was selected for inclusion on the 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015 and 2012 Rhode Island Super Lawyers list. He is a seasoned litigator who focuses his practice on defending hospitals, physicians, nurses, dentists, social workers, psychologists and other health care providers in malpractice lawsuits and disciplinary proceedings. He has successfully represented clients in the state and federal courts of Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Bob has had numerous jury trials with a significant number of defense verdicts. In addition to trying cases to juries, Bob handles any appellate issues that arise from his matters. He has appeared regularly before the Rhode Island Supreme Court and has a number of reported decisions. In those instances where a trial is not the best course of action, Bob has extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution. His presentations to mediators and arbitrators help clients resolve cases on favorable terms.
In addition to health care matters, Bob represents clients in general insurance defense litigation and has had significant commercial litigation experience.
Read more about Robert P. Landau here.
Credit Hours: This course consists of 3 ethics continuing education hours of credit.
Counselors: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.
Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.
Social Workers: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2021 – 05/02/2024. Social workers completing this course receive 3 ethics continuing education credit.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.
Addiction Professionals: This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, effective 2/23/2021. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programing.
Psychologists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.
Art Therapists: Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.
Other Professionals: This course qualifies for 180 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a non-interactive, self-study course.
To receive your certificate of completion you must complete the course in its entirety.
To complete an Online Self Study Course, one must register, log in, select the My Courses option from the menu items, click the Course Title, complete all of the modules, complete and pass the post-test(s), and complete the course evaluation.
A grade of at least 80% or more is required to pass the post-test. Retaking the post-test is possible until the participant is able to pass the test.
Psychologists and other professionals seeking CE credit through our approval with the American Psychological Association are asked but not required to complete the course evaluation before obtaining their certificate of completion, however passing a post-test for online self-study courses, and submitting one's attendance for live on-site and live webinars is required.
You can download or print your certificate of completion by logging into your account, navigating to the course by selecting the My Courses option from the menu items, clicking the Course Title, scrolling to the Certificate of Completion section, and clicking on the Certificate of Completion link to either download it or print it.
Participants may request a printed version of their certificate of completion to be delivered by mail. A shipping/handling fee of $6.95 will be charged per request. Shipping internationally may require an additional charge.
Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.
This course is intended for educators and clinicians who provide behavioral health services..
This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.
This course was recorded February 5, 2021
