Melissa Westendorf – A Complete Guide to Ethical & Legal Technology Challenges for Mental Health Professionals

Outline

The Changing Landscape of Mental Health Today

• Keeping Up with Technology & Professional Liability Concerns
• Client Expectations – Are You Ethically and Legally Up to the Challenge?

Social Media and Online Advertising Ethical Challenges – (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and More!)

• Pros and Cons of Utilizing Social Media and Website In Your Practice
• Confidentiality and Privacy Issues (and How to Avoid Them)
• Boundary Issues – And How to Ethically Safeguard Yourself
• Advertising and Solicitation – Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls
• Creating Your Social Media Policies and Procedures

Email & Texting – The Legal Landmines of Electronic Communication

• Pros and Cons of Emailing and Texting With Clients
• Confidentiality/Inadvertent Disclosures – Legal Concerns
• Privacy Expectations of the Client and Maintaining Healthy Boundaries
• Creating Your Texting and Emailing Policies and Procedures

Telehealth – Avoiding Legal & Ethical Pitfalls

• Confidentiality/Privacy Concerns of Video Technology
• Practicing Across State Lines – Legal Issues and Insurance Challenges
• Client Expectations for Distance Therapy
• Creating Your Tele-Health Policies and Procedures

Electronic Records & Going Paperless – Top Mistakes to Avoid

• HIPAA – Electronic Records Legalities
• File Retention, Destruction and Security
• Cloud-Based Data – How, When and Why
• Paperless Office Software

What the Future Holds

• New Technology & What to Expect Next!
• Legal & Ethical Trends