The Ethics of Duty to Warn
Encountering a homicidal client poses a significant challenge for clinicians, requiring them to carefully balance client confidentiality with the duty to protect potential victims.
About This Course
"Duty to warn" refers to the legal and ethical obligation of mental health professionals to inform potential victims when their client poses a credible threat of harm to them or others. This duty stems from the principle that the safety of individuals takes precedence over confidentiality. If a therapist assesses that their client presents a serious risk of harm, particularly in cases involving threats of violence or harm towards specific individuals, they are typically required to take steps to warn those potential victims or to take other appropriate actions to mitigate the risk. The specifics of duty to warn laws can vary by jurisdiction, but in general, mental health professionals are expected to act in accordance with their duty to protect public safety while also respecting the privacy and confidentiality of their clients to the extent possible. In this asynchronous course we dive into the ethical principles and legal considerations surrounding confidentiality rights and limitations when working with homicidal clients. Participants will gain valuable insights into assessment and protocol tools for effectively managing these challenging cases, while also exploring key considerations to avoid ethical and legal missteps.
Key Learning Objectives:
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Understanding Ethical Principles: Acquire knowledge of ethical principles and laws governing the confidentiality rights and limitations of clients who are homicidal.
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Duty to Warn Protocol: Learn how to effectively apply ethics and laws to resolve complex ethical responsibilities surrounding the duty to warn, ensuring client and public safety.
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Confidence Building: Gain the confidence to appropriately manage client and public safety issues in an ethical and legal manner, while upholding professional standards and obligations.
Course admission requirements:
Minimum of a Master's Degree in a mental health or related field; or be a student in social work, psychology, counseling, or a related field. In Low- and Middle-Income Countries, a minimum of a Bachelor's degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a related field is required.
Enroll in Just this Course
Continuing Education (CE) hours
2 NBCC CE hours are available for licensed mental health providers. Please check with your licensing board to confirm that NBCC CE hours are accepted.
Integrative Trauma Treatment Center (ITTC) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6912. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Integrative Trauma Treatment Center (ITTC) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Course Materials
- Prerecorded Video (120 minutes: The Ethics of Duty to Warn )
- Presentation
- Quiz
- Presentation Feedback Survey
- Certificate of Completion*
*A passed quiz of at least 80% and a completed feedback survey required for certificate.
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