Annual Ethics & Legal Issues Seminar 

Mental Health Law & Ethics: Clinical Considerations in Legal Proceedings

Friday, September 15, 2017

8:30 am - 11:45 am (8:00 am check-in/continental breakfast)

Beaver Creek County Club

This program will provide 3 hours of continuing education in ethics, law, professional conduct and risk management to satisfy Maryland licensure requirements.

This program is funded in part by the William B. & Sylvia A. Hunsberger Fund.

Mental health providers are increasingly being asked to testify in court and/or provide clinical information as their clients initiate or respond to legal proceedings.  Although direct involvement in criminal proceedings is less likely, it is important to have an understanding of the dynamics of this adversarial relationship so the clinician may respond in the most appropriate way to assure the most factual exchange of information. Additionally, all mental health providers need to be aware of the role of the Board of Social Work Examiners/Board of Professional Counselors relevant professional Ethics Codes and how to proceed should a complaint be made about their practice.

This seminar will walk through the legal issues associated with a court-involved client’s mental health treatment and will examine the role and operation of the Board of Examiners. Clinicians will gain valuable information about how best to proceed when being asked or required to be a part of a civil, criminal or ethical proceeding.

At the conclusion, attendees should be able to:

• Discuss the American adversarial system of justice;
• Explain how an individual’s mental health status influences court proceedings;
• Summarize the role of attorneys, prosecutors and judges when a client is charged with a felony or misdemeanor;
• Discuss the legal & ethical issues, including confidentially, client alliance and testifying in court when divorcing parents seek custody of their children;
• Appropriately respond to subpoenas;
• Explain the difference between giving fact testimony and expert testimony;
• Use best practice strategies when testifying in court;
• Explain the ethics code and the role and procedures of the Board of Social Work Examiners and Board of Professional Counselors.

Program Presenters:

J. Emmet Burke, Ph.D., J.D., Clinical Director, Brook Lane Health Services 

Lewis Metzner, Esq., Private Defense Bar, Washington County Maryland

The Honorable Dana Moylan Wright, Circuit Court for Washington County Maryland

                                  *Program presenters subject to change

Professional Continuing Education Credits:

An important message about Continuing Education Credits:  Brook Lane seminars are approved for continuing education credits as an entire event.  PARTIAL CREDIT WILL NOT BE AWARDED.     To assure that you receive any continuing education credit, you must be on time and complete the entire seminar.

Counselors/Therapists:  Brook Lane Health Services is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.  Brook Lane solely is responsible for all aspects of the program.  This program will provide 3 clock hours; partial credit will not be awarded.

Social Workers:  Brook Lane Health Services is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.  This program will provide 3.0 credit hours of Category I continuing education in ethics, law, professional conduct and risk management to satisfy Maryland requirements; partial credit will is not allowed.

Other Healthcare Professionals and Attendees:  A certificate of completion noting the number of educational/contact hours will be provided for other disciplines to allow attendees to apply for CE credit as an individual.

 Seminar Fee:   $ 69.00

CANCELLATION POLICY:  A $ 10 processing fee will apply.  To receive a refund, cancellations must be made in writing and received no later than one week prior to the seminar.

Brook Lane Staff:  Follow your online registration with submission of the yellow TRAINING REQUEST FORM and all required documentation.  Be sure to follow all procedures to assure payment of your fee and your seat in the course.