Ethics for Marriage and Family Therapists
Hours: 2.25
Providing marriage and family therapy (MFT) can be highly rewarding work that allows practitioners to help couples and families resolve conflicts, enhance their ability to communicate with each other, and establish healthy dynamics. The practice of MFT also involves a unique set of circumstances that can pose challenges for providers, namely, that the provider’s professional obligations extend to multiple individuals. It is therefore essential that as an MFT, you understand the ethical standards of your profession. This course blends didactic material with interactive exercises to help you to stay on top of recent changes in MFT ethics by reviewing relevant ethics standards, discussing issues and trends, and giving you opportunities to test your knowledge.
In such a professional climate, and where the well-being of clients is of paramount importance, it is critical for you to understand the major guiding standards of your professional ethics code. This course will examine some of the major tenets of that ethics code.
Additionally, bear in mind that as you review the course material, while the term “marriage therapy” is used throughout in keeping with the verbiage of the ethics code, the issues discussed also apply when working with unmarried and same-sex couples. The course material also applies to MFT practice when providing services to families and to clients seeking individual counseling to address their relationship issues.
Providing marriage and family therapy (MFT) can be highly rewarding work that allows practitioners to help couples and families resolve conflicts, enhance their ability to communicate with each other, and establish healthy dynamics. The practice of MFT also involves a unique set of circumstances that can pose challenges for providers, namely, that the provider’s professional obligations extend to multiple individuals. It is therefore essential that as an MFT, you understand the ethical standards of your profession. This course blends didactic material with interactive exercises to help you to stay on top of recent changes in MFT ethics by reviewing relevant ethics standards, discussing issues and trends, and giving you opportunities to test your knowledge. In such a professional climate, and where the well-being of clients is of paramount importance, it is critical for you to understand the major guiding standards of your professional ethics code. This course will examine some of the major tenets of that ethics code. Additionally, bear in mind that as you review the course material, while the term “marriage therapy” is used throughout in keeping with the verbiage of the ethics code, the issues discussed also apply when working with unmarried and same-sex couples. The course material also applies to MFT practice when providing services to families and to clients seeking individual counseling to address their relationship issues.
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours.
National Board for Certified Counselors
Relias, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.6110. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Relias , LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours.
Ohio Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board
Provider # RTX050401 (CEBroker Provider 50-290)
This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours
Oklahoma Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists
This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours.
Illinois, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Marriage and Family Therapist Continuing Education Sponsor
This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours.
New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, State Board for Mental Health Practitioners, Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT)
Relias, LLC, is recognized by New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. #MFT-0009
As a provider of online, asynchronous education, some courses offered by Relias are considered "self-study". The regulations limit self-study activities taken from a provider approved by the Education Department to no more than 12 hours in the 36-month registration period or one-third of the hours in a registration period other than 36 months.
This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours.
Mississippi Board of Examiners for Social Workers/Marriage & Family Therapists
This activity is approved for 2.0000 contact hours.
Kentucky Board of Licensure of Marriage and Family Therapists
This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours.
Minnesota Board of Marriage and Family Therapy
This activity is approved for 2.25 contact hours.
Clinical supervision courses may only be used to satisfy CE requirements for individuals who are already Board-Approved Supervisors. They may not be used to meet the 30 hour requirement found in minn. Rule 5300.0160.
North Dakota Marriage and Family Therapist Licensing Board
This course has been approved by the North Dakota Marriage and Family Therapy Licensure Board for 2.25 hours of CEU credit.
Explain the applicability of the ethics code to your work, and the relationship between ethics codes and laws.
Identify specific ethical pitfalls that can occur in practice and proactive steps you can take to prevent them.
Summarize the specific ethical responsibilities MFTs have to clients and to the profession.
Outline:
Section 1: Introduction
About This Course
Learning Objectives
Section 2: A Foundation for Ethical Practice
Meet Lesley
What is an Ethics Code?
Relationship Between Ethics Codes and Laws
Applicability of the Ethics Code
Accountability
Quick Check
Policy and Regulatory Development
Complaints and Allegations
Review
Summary
Section 3: Responsibility to Clients
Non-Discrimination
Informed Consent
Dual Relationships
Check Your Understanding
Prohibition Against Sexual Intimacy
Self-Determination
Clarification of Roles
Third Party Referrals
Therapeutic Benefit
Transition to Other Therapists
Audio/Video Recording or Observation
Review
Summary
Section 4: Confidentiality
The Challenge and Limits of Confidentiality in MFT
Authorized Disclosures
Secrets with Couples and Families
Confidentiality in Group Treatment
What Do You Think?
Confidentiality of Records
Use of Clinical Examples
Obtaining Consultation
Client Access to Records
Knowledge Check
Summary
Section 5: Professional Capability
Maintaining Competence
Cultural Competence
Conflicts of Interest
Check Your Understanding
Practice Recordkeeping Standards
Policies on Gifts
Public Statements
Impaired Professionals/Colleagues
Providing Care to Minors
Consequences of Violation
Review
Summary
Section 6: The MFT Clinical Supervisor
Positions of Influence
Representation of Trainees
Prior Relationships
Confidentiality of Supervision
Payment for Supervision
Meet Luanne
Summary
Section 7: Research
Ethics Planning
Informed Participation
Participant Confidentiality
Integrity of Research and Publications
Review
Summary
Section 8: Advertising and Finances
Accurate Representations
Complete Representations
What Do You Think?
Payment for Referrals
Fees and Financial Policies
Fee Discussions as Part of the Therapy Relationship
Pro Bono and Reduced Fee Services
Protections in Collection Efforts
What Do You Think?
Non-Financial Payments
Withholding Records
Review
Summary
Section 9: Ethics and Technology
Electronic Treatment Methods
What Do You Think?
Ethical Issues and Social Media
Review
Summary
Section 10: Conclusion
Course Summary
Course Contributors
Resources
References
Pamela Green is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Registered Play Therapist. She has devoted over fifteen years to helping children and families within vulnerable populations heal from and overcome the many obstacles they face. Pam also has extensive experience in Crisis Intervention as she was an Intensive Family Intervention Team Leader for five years and spent several years working with a Domestic Violence Intervention Program as an advocate and a therapist to help survivors heal from their traumatic experiences, navigate legal systems, and access much-needed resources to change their lives for the better. Pam also provided clinical direction and supervision as zone leader for a 10-county, community mental health agency for several years. In addition, she has experience in work rehabilitation for people with disabilities across a range of ages and disability types. Disclosure: Pamela Green, LCSW RPT has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.Expert Reviewer: Mary Sue Green, Ph.D., LMFT-S
Mary Sue Green earned her Ph.D. in human development and family studies from Iowa State University. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Supervisor. She works full-time as a substance abuse counselor for Helen Farabee Centers, is the owner of Room to Grow: Therapy, Supervision, Consultation, PLLC, and teaches as an adjunct professor for Capella University’s Marriage and Family Counseling and Therapy program. She has received grant funding and published articles in peer-reviewed journals on diversity issues, mentoring, therapist self-awareness, sexuality, and infidelity. She has presented at state and national conferences on ethics, substance abuse, sexual orientation and gender identity, supervision, and working with same-sex couples. Disclosure: Mary Sue Green, Ph.D., LMFT-S has no Relevant Financial or Non-Financial Relationship with ineligible companies to disclose.
The target audience for this course is: Entry level Marriage and Family Therapists; in the following settings: Health and Human Services.
Asynchronous/Online Distance Learning; please see certificate details for specifics on delivery format.
Relias has a grievance policy in place to facilitate reports of dissatisfaction. Relias will make every effort to resolve each grievance in a mutually satisfactory manner. In order to report a complaint or grievance please contact Relias.
If you require special accommodations to complete this module, please contact Relias Support by completing the web form (https://www.relias.com/help) or by using the chat functionality.
All courses offered by Relias, LLC are developed from a foundation of diversity, inclusiveness, and a multicultural perspective. Knowledge, values and awareness related to cultural competency are infused throughout the course content.
Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply any endorsement, recommendation, or favoring of, or affiliation with, Relias, LLC.
All characteristics and organizations referenced in the following training are fictional. Any resemblance to any actual organizations or persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.
To earn continuing education credit for this course you must achieve a passing score of 80% on the post-test and complete the course evaluation.
If you require special accommodations to complete this module, please contact Relias Customer Support here.
