Specialized Training Services - Legal and Ethical Issues in Mental Health

Programs

Legal and Ethical Issues in Mental Health

Mental health professionals face a daunting task of conducting their work with a myriad of legal and ethical issues affecting both clinical and professional decisions. Professional organizations routinely publish results of hearings in which members are disciplined for failing to properly implement mental health law. At the far extreme are those who face legal consequences as a result of their actions. This one day seminar will highlight four specific areas which cause the greatest confusion and generate the highest risk: Suicide Risk Assessment and Malpractice Avoidance, Trends in Mental Health Malpractice: A Tale of Sex and Violence, Confidentiality and Privilege, and Clinical Assessment of Malingering and Deception. This program is essential for every mental health professional to improve their understanding of the legal and ethical issues that are so critical to performing at the standard of practice.

Workshop Content

Suicide Risk Assessment and Malpractice Avoidance
Trends in Mental Health Malpractice: A Tale of Sex and Violence
Confidentiality and Privilege
Clinical Assessment of Malingering and Deception

Workshop Objectives

Improve assessment skills for suicide risk
Understand liability for completed suicide as well as liability prevention strategies
Describe basic concepts in the law of negligence
Understand the most common causes of action for mental health malpractice
Identify techniques to reduce risk of malpractice
Describe the difference between confidentiality and privilege
List those situations that require a breach of confidentiality
Know when there is a duty to protect intended victims from the violence of their clients
Demonstrate skill in detecting deception
Detect malingered psychosis
Identify the five signs of malingered insanity defenses

Presented by

Phillip Resnick, M.D.
Phillip Resnick, M.D.

Phillip J. Resnick, M.D., is an internationally known forensic psychiatrist, noted for his expertise in clinical prediction of violence risk, assessment of malingering and deception, and expert witness testimony. He is currently director, Division of Forensic Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, and a past president of the American Academy of Psychiatry and Law. He has provided consultation and/or expert witness testimony in many high profile cases including: Jeffrey Dahmer, William Kennedy Smith, Susan Smith, Timothy Mc Veigh, John DuPont, the Unibomber and Andrea Yates. He was a contributing author in Clinical Assessment of Malingering and Deception and coauthored The Mental Health Professional in the Legal System. He's written over 130 professional journal articles and book chapters. Dr. Resnick's presentations are well organized, humorous, fast moving and packed with vital information.