Ethics in Clinical Practice: Navigating Ethical Challenges in Individual Therapy

About

Ethical practice requires more than knowing a professional code. It requires clinicians to recognize ethical concerns, evaluate competing responsibilities, and make thoughtful, defensible decisions in complex clinical situations. This training examines the application of ethical principles within individual behavioral health and substance use treatment. Participants will explore foundational ethical principles, professional codes of ethics, and Nevada regulations governing alcohol, drug, and gambling counselors. Topics include informed consent, confidentiality and its limits, professional boundaries and dual relationships, documentation, legal requests for records, HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2, and ethical decision-making.

Through discussion and case-based scenarios, participants will practice applying ethical decision-making strategies to situations commonly encountered in clinical practice. The training also addresses emerging ethical considerations related to technology and artificial intelligence, including client consent, confidentiality, documentation accuracy, cultural considerations, and clinician responsibility when utilizing AI-assisted tools.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this presentation, participants will:

Identify and describe foundational ethical principles.

Apply relevant professional ethical codes and Nevada regulatory standards to common clinical issues involving professional responsibility, scope of practice, informed consent, confidentiality, boundaries, and client welfare.

Differentiate ethical and legal responsibilities related to confidentiality and disclosure, including considerations involving subpoenas, court orders, HIPAA, and 42 CFR Part 2.

Utilize a structured ethical decision-making process to analyze clinical dilemmas, consider potential consequences, seek consultation when appropriate, select a defensible course of action, and document the decision-making process.

Recognize potential ethical risks associated with professional boundaries, dual relationships, social media, technology, and artificial intelligence, and identify strategies for protecting client welfare, privacy, and professional integrity.

Presented by:

Jennifer Jones PsyD, MS