The Counselor and the Law: A Guide to Legal and Ethical Practice -- Contents -- Preface -- About the Authors -- Chapter 1: The Counseling Profession -- Our Perspective -- The Counselor -- History and Highlights of the Profession -- Professional Counselors -- Licensed Professional Counselors -- The Law -- Licensing Standards for Counselors -- License Title -- Definition of Counseling and Scope of Practice -- Virginia-LPC -- Florida-LMHC -- Oregon-LPC -- California-LPCC -- New York-LMHC -- Definition of Mental Health Counseling -- Boundaries of Professional Competency -- Graduate Education -- Postdegree/Prelicense Supervised Experience -- Efforts Toward National Standards and Definitions -- Nationally Recognized Accreditation -- Nationally Recognized Accreditation -- Nationally Recognized Counselor Certification -- National Consensus and License Portability -- Licensure Title -- Licensure Scope of Practice -- Licensure Examination Requirements -- Summary -- Chapter 2: The Counseling Relationship -- Who is a Client? -- Duty and Standard of Care -- Informed Consent for Treatment -- Fees -- Terminating the Counseling Relationship -- Client-Initiated Termination -- Counselor-Initiated Termination and Referral -- Bruff v. North Mississippi Health Services, Inc. (2001) -- Ward v. Wilbanks (2010, 2012) -- Summary -- Chapter 3: Overview of Law and Ethics -- The American Legal Structure -- Criminal, Civil, and Administrative Law -- The Court System -- Federal Courts -- State Courts -- Appellate Process -- Ethics Standards -- Professional Ethics -- Ethical Decision Making -- Legal and Ethical Decision-Making Model -- Define the Problem, Dilemma, and Subissues -- Identify the Relevant Variables -- Know the Law, Ethics Codes, and Institutional Policy -- Be Alert to Personal Influences -- Obtain Outside Perspective -- Enumerate Options and Consequences.

Decide and Take Action -- Document Decision-Making and Follow-Up Actions -- Ethics and the Law -- Summary -- Chapter 4: Civil Malpractice Liability, Licensure Board Complaints, and Criminal Actions -- Competence and Preparation -- Duty of Care and Potential Malpractice and Liability -- Negligence -- Malpractice -- Intentional Torts -- Criminal Action -- Common Complaints Against Counselors -- Licensure Board Complaints -- Diagnosis and Scope of Treatment -- Failure to Treat or Refer -- Group Counseling -- Crisis Intervention -- Repressed or False Memory -- Supervision -- Birth Control and Abortion Counseling -- Sexual Misconduct -- Other Civil Actions -- Illegal Search and Seizure -- Defamation -- Invasion of Privacy -- Breach of Contract -- Copyright Infringement -- Insurance Fraud -- Other Criminal Actions -- Accessory to a Crime -- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor -- Summary -- Chapter 5: Confidentiality, Privilege, and HIPAA Privacy -- Confidentiality -- Privileged Communication -- Privacy and HIPAA -- HITECH Changes to HIPAA -- Specific Concerns Regarding Confidentiality, Privilege, and Privacy -- Subpoenas -- Counseling Minors -- Couples and Family Counseling -- Custody Issues -- Group Counseling -- Confidentiality of Substance Abuse Records -- Counseling Public Offenders and Responding to Requests From Law Enforcement -- Confidentiality After a Client's Death -- Confidentiality and Technology -- Summary -- Chapter 6: Duties to Report, Warn, and/or Protect -- Duty to Report -- Abuse of Children and Elderly or Vulnerable Adults -- Domestic Violence -- Past Crimes of Clients -- Unprofessional Conduct of Colleagues -- Duty to Warn and/or Protect -- Court Decisions After Tarasoff -- Evolution of the Law -- Clients With AIDS/HIV Positive Status -- Workplace Violence.

School Violence and New Legislative Initiatives That Affect All Mental Health Professionals -- Threats by Client Against Counselor -- Practical Risk Management Guidelines -- Chapter 7: Communication Technology and Social Media -- Distance Counseling -- Ethical Considerations -- Legal Considerations -- Social Media: Think Before You "Tweet," "Friend," or "Blog" -- Breach of Confidentiality -- Boundary Violations -- Texting, Instant Messaging, and E-Mail -- Other Technologies -- Recommendations -- Chapter 8: Suicide and Threats of Harm to Self -- Prevalence of Suicide and Threats of Harm to Self -- Male Suicide -- Youth and Child Suicide -- College Student Suicide -- Elder Person Suicide -- Other Threats of Self-Harm or Self-Injury -- Suicide and Ethics -- Legal Issues of Suicide -- Bullying and Cyberbullying -- End-of-Life Issues -- Summary -- Chapter 9: Professional Boundaries -- Counselor-Client Interactions or Relationships -- Licensing Board Complaints and Selected State Disciplinary Action -- Texas -- Florida -- Arizona -- Boundary Violation Licensure Board Complaint -- Risk of Malpractice Lawsuits -- Mishandling of Transference -- Risk of Criminal Prosecution -- When Is a Dual Relationship Appropriate? -- Summary -- Chapter 10: Records and Documentation -- Records: The Standard of Care -- Purpose of Client Records -- Purpose #1: Clinical Management -- Purpose #2: Legal Implications for the Client -- Purpose #3: HIPAA Compliance -- Purpose #4: Risk Management Strategy -- Ownership of Records -- Alteration of Records -- Financial Records and Financial Relationship -- Technology, Client Records, and Information -- Record Retention -- Records Custodian -- Summary -- Chapter 11: Managing Your Counseling Practice -- Opening a Counseling Practice: Forms of Operation -- For-Profit Entities -- Corporation -- S Corporation -- Partnership.

Limited Liability Company or Partnership -- Operating Instruments and Organizational Meetings -- Office Sharing and Informal Group Practices -- Nonprofit Organizations -- Private and Nonprofit Business Procedures -- Federal and State Taxes, Reporting, and Licensing -- Professional Liability Insurance -- Need for Professional Liability Insurance -- Considerations When Purchasing Liability Insurance -- Other Insurance Coverage -- General Liability Insurance -- Property Insurance -- Directors' and Officers' Liability Insurance -- Business Overhead Insurance -- Employee Benefits Programs -- Disability Income Protection -- Group Life Insurance -- Employment Law Considerations -- Employment Discrimination -- State Nondiscrimination Statutes -- Sexual Harassment -- Recruiting, Hiring, and Managing Employees -- Employment Contracts -- Training and Supervising Employees -- Hiring Workers as Independent Contractors or as Employees -- Fee Splitting and Fraud and Abuse Laws -- Billing and Collection Practices -- Third-Party Payments -- The Americans With Disabilities Act -- Coverage -- Employment -- Public Accommodations -- State and Local Government Entities -- Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 -- New Counseling Approaches, Techniques, and Professional Expressions -- Closing a Counseling Practice -- Summary -- Chapter 12: Counselor Educators and Clinical Supervisors -- Counselor Educators -- Boundaries -- Gatekeeping -- Clinical Supervisors -- Supervisory Liability -- Boundaries -- Crafting a Supervisory Relationship Contract -- Summary -- References -- Appendix A: ACA Code of Ethics -- Appendix B: Top Ten Risk Management Strategies -- Appendix C: How to Access Laws and Find an Attorney -- Index -- Technical Support -- End User License Agreement.