California Laws & Ethics for Social Workers (12 hrs )

Course Level: Intermediate

Course By: Elizabeth Price, LCSW, LMFT and Gerry Grossman, LMFT

Elizabeth Price is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She graduated from University of Louisville with a Master’s Degree in Social Work and a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Gerry Grossman is a Licensed MFT and Hypnotherapist. He has successfully trained thousands of exam candidates for their BBS licensing exams since 1985. As a trained hypnotherapist, he has assisted many people with test anxiety and other clinical issues. In private practice, Gerry specializes in working with young children and their families.

Content By: Gerry Grossman MA, LMFT and Association for Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences

Course Delivery: Online, Self-Paced

This course meets requirements for out-of-state candidates who are applying for licensure in California.

Course description: This course examines the many nuances of California law and regulation and puts them in digestible, easy-to-apply language.

Topics covered include:

• Scope of Practice
• Licensing Requirements
• Unprofessional Conduct
• Informed Consent
• Confidentiality and Privilege
• Working with Minors (including detailed information on child abuse reporting)
• Working with Elders and Dependent Adults
• Advertising
• Technology
• Advocacy

This course covers recently enacted legislation, including information about CARE courts, the No Surprises Act, and the Mental Health Access Improvement Act, and much more.

In addition, this course includes a summary of the NASW Code of Ethics, and provides a clear and concise discussion of these ethical principles. Topics that are addressed within this course target issues related to maintaining confidentiality; disclosing confidential information with and without valid consent; responding to a subpoena; HIPAA’s privacy rule; client self-determination; professional competence; informed consent; payment for services; conflicts of interest and dual relationships; clients’ access to their records; client transfer; interruption or termination of services; and representing and advertising your services.

Learning objectives:

1. Define and delineate the scope of practice for social workers
2. Summarize the licensing requirements for social workers
3. Summarize the actions that constitute unprofessional conduct for social workers
4. Define the requirements for informed consent and issues related to disclosure
5. Evaluate the principles underlying confidentiality and privilege and distinguish between them
6. Evaluate key laws related to the treatment of minors
7. Evaluate key laws related to the treatment of elder and dependent adults
8. Evaluate the legal requirements for advertising services
9. Evaluate the legal requirements for telehealth
10. Gain knowledge of the key ethical principles in the NASW Code of Ethics

This course is not available for NBCC credit.