The Ethics Curriculum
New Ethical Standards in the Use of Technology --and Dangers, Parts 1 and 2
The Slippery Slope of Technology
Program Description
For many clinicians, cybertechnology has become the principal tool in delivering services and communicating with patients. New technologies are developing and changing so rapidly that all the mental health professions are scrambling to develop standards of care to keep up.
Developed to provide clinicians with guidelines for decision making, these standards become incorporated into the licensing statutes, regulations and professional codes of ethics of all the mental health professions. And while the purpose of these guidelines is to protect the public, woe unto the clinician who has to face his or her licensing board for lapses in judgment.
Dr. Frederic Reamer discusses these standards and our ethical conundrums with us.
Learning Objectives
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
. Recognize the power of licensing and regulatory boards in our clinical decision making.
. Become aware of regulations regarding providing therapy services across state lines.
. Understand the importance of reading our professional codes of ethics.
. Recognize the ethical implications arising in the areas of delivery of services, privacy, confidentiality and boundaries.
. Recognize the three distinct standards of care in the use of cybertechnology
Interviews
New Ethical Standards in the Use of Technology -- and Danger! part 2 - Frederic Reamer, Ph.D.
Ideological conflicts can affect our clinical work and the therapeutic relationship in troubling ways. The advent of social media and social networking has intensified these challenges in unprecedented ways. Dr. Frederic Reamer continues our discussion of the previous interview with us, and here we cover the meaning and implications of “conscience protection” in our clinical decisions. For example, can we refuse to work with clients whose religious or political beliefs are abhorrent to us? And then there’s the ever present subject of how to answer personal questions? Another thorny issue has to do with becoming a Life Coach. Does that free us of the professional responsibilities laid out in our ethical codes? If we are, let’s say, a Licensed something something, are we still that “something” if we are in the Life Coach mode? If it looks like a duck, acts like a duck --- well, you know the rest of that.
New Ethical Standards in Use of Technology, and new Dangers, part 1 - Frederic Reamer, Ph.D.
As therapists increasingly use technology to deliver services to clients/patient, ethical challenges emerge and new ethical standards emerge. Dr. Reamer provides a syntheses of these emerging standards. We'd better read our revised ethics codes!
“Excellent programs. I actually learned new material for the first time in years. Thanks for this opportunity!”
... Deborah S.
LPC