Ethical Concerns When Working with Children and Adolescents

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How to Take This Course:

• 1 View Course Worksheet -  View the course worksheet or print it out to review later
• 2 Read the Course Material -  As you read through, mark your answers on the course worksheet to be prepared for the exam
• 3 Take Exam -  You must achieve a score of 75% or higher in order to earn credit for the course.
• You don't need to pay for an exam until AFTER you pass it. If you have any questions or need more information, please click here.

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CE Course Description

Behavioral health professionals who work with children must be prepared for the unique experiences of supporting young people in their mental health journeys. Children have unique needs, symptom presentation, and experience in treatment. They are also highly vulnerable to inappropriate bonding, abuse, neglect, and other issues regarding boundaries. Because of this, and because they simply deserve the best care, there are critical ethics that professionals must adhere to when supporting children in behavioral health. This course will review information related to the ethical concerns when working with children and adolescents as well as how to address them. 

CE Course Objectives

1. Explore ethical responsibilities of various clinicians in behavioral health
2. Review signs of abuse and neglect that require mandatory reporting
3. Understand how clinicians can implement trauma-informed care and culturally sensitive care
4. Examine services and practices that are helpful for children and adolescents in therapy
5. Describe confidentiality and privacy concerns in the treatment of children and adolescents
6. Identify strategies to avoid harm while working with children and adolescents while also maintaining neutrality, avoiding bias, keeping healthy boundaries
7. Review case studies exploring ethical considerations in behavioral health when working with young people

CE Course Outline

Introduction and Supporting Children and Adolescents in Behavioral Health

• Introduction (5 minutes)
• How Behavioral Health Professionals Support Children and Adolescents (10 minutes)
  • Child Psychologist and Psychiatrist (5 minutes)
  • School Psychologists and Developmental Psychologists (5 minutes)
• Key Principles for Working with Children and Adolescents (15 minutes)
  • Developmental Perspective, Promoting Welfare, Minimizing Harm, Assent and Consent
  • Confidentiality and Legal Considerations
• Counselors and Social Workers (15 minutes)
  • Confidentiality, Privacy, and Professional Responsibility
  • Social Justice and Integrity in Practice
• Art Therapists and Creative Approaches (15 minutes)
  • Autonomy, Nonmaleficence, Beneficence, and Justice

Confidentiality, Competent Care, and Assessment

• Confidentiality and Privacy in Treatment (15 minutes)
  • Confidential Treatment Notes and Documentation (state-specific)
• Ensuring Competent Care for Children and Adolescents (25 minutes)
  • Evidence-Based Care (15 minutes)
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Family Therapy (10 minutes)
• Assessment and Implementing Teams (20 minutes)
  • How to Assess for Needs and Determine the Best Therapy
  • Communication and Person-Centered Care

Autonomy, Reporting, and Ethical Considerations

• Respecting Autonomy in Therapy (20 minutes)
  • Why Autonomy is Important and How to Engage Clients
• Child Abuse Reporting (20 minutes)
  • Mandatory Reporting and State-Specific Standards (overview)
• Ethical Issues and Avoiding Harm (20 minutes)
  • Main Ways to Avoid Doing Harm
  • Neutrality, Avoiding Bias, and Boundary Setting

Culturally Sensitive Care, Sharing Information, and Case Studies

• Providing Culturally Sensitive Care (20 minutes)
  • Benefits of Culturally Sensitive and Trauma-Informed Care
• Sharing Information (15 minutes)
  • With Parents, Police, and Other Professionals
• Case Studies (25 minutes)
  • Case Study 1: Hamlin (5 minutes)
  • Case Study 2: Charlie (5 minutes)
  • Case Study 3: Lina (5 minutes)
  • Case Study 4: Thomas (10 minutes)

Conclusion and Wrap-Up

• Summary and Reflections (10 minutes)
• References (5 minutes)

Total Time: 4 Hours

Course Level: Intriductory

Course Date: 2021-10-18

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