Ethics Category

Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in Behavioral Health: Ethics and Risk Management Challenges

3 CE Hours
2,029 members have taken this course

Updated 19 days ago. Consider reviewing the exam questions below before taking the exam.

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About the Course

Behavioral health professionals frequently encounter complex ethical challenges involving boundaries and dual relationships. Examples include proper management of confidential and private information when practitioners live and work in small or rural communities; practitioner self-disclosure; friendships and social contact with current and former clients; favors, gifts, and invitations; hiring of former clients; and online and social networking relationships and communications, among others. Using extensive case material, Dr. Frederic Reamer will acquaint participants with a typology of boundary issues and dual relationships. Participants will learn how to identify and respond constructively to complex boundary issues, protect clients, prevent professional malpractice, and avoid licensing board complaints. Key topics will include the nature of boundary issues, types of dual relationships, ethical standards, and risk-management strategies.

This course is based on the recorded webinar, Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in Behavioral Health created by Frederick Reamer, PhD. in 2023.

Publication Details

Publication Date: 1st Edition Apr 2023

Course Material Author

Frederic G. Reamer, PhD

Frederic Reamer is professor in the graduate program, School of Social Work, Rhode Island College, where he has been on the faculty since 1983. His teaching and research focus on professional ethics, criminal justice, mental health, health care, and public policy. Dr. Reamer received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He chaired the national task force that wrote the Code of Ethics adopted by the National Association of Social Workers in 1996 and recently served on the code revision task force. Dr. Reamer also chaired the national task force sponsored by the National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, and Clinical Social Work Association that developed technology standards for the profession. Dr. Reamer has lectured nationally and internationally on social work and professional ethics.

Disclosures

He receives royalties as a published author, and receives recording royalties for this presentation.

Target Audience

Counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychologists and social workers. This course is appropriate for intermediate and advanced levels of knowledge.

Learning Objectives

After taking this activity, you should be able to:

  1. 1 Apply relevant ethics standards to manage boundaries and dual relationships.
  2. 2 Identify ethics and risk management issues related to professional boundaries and dual relationships in the behavioral health professions.
  3. 3 Use protocols designed to protect clients and help prevent litigation and ethics complaints.

Disclosure to Learners

CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity – including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).

The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and the reviewer:

Planners and Reviewers

The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Material Authors

There are no known relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Course Creator

Frederic G. Reamer, PhD – He receives royalties as a published author, and receives recording royalties for this presentation.

Commercial support

There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.

Use our CE Approvals tool to look up your state requirements and how can help you meet them, or log in to your member account to show approvals relevant to your licensure.

Joint Accreditation (JA)

3 Psychologist CE credit hours
3 Social Worker CE credit hours Ethics
Eligible until Feb 1st, 2028
In support of improving patient care, CE Learning Systems, LLC, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
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Logo: Jointly Accredited Provider (tm) - Interprofessional Continuing Education

American Psychological Association (APA)

3 CE credit hours Ethics
Eligible until Feb 1st, 2028
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
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Logo: American Psychological Association

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB ACE)

3 CE credit hours Ethics
Eligible until Feb 1st, 2028
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, CE Learning Systems LLC is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 3 ethics continuing education credit(s).
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Logo: ASWB ACE approved continuing education

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Apr 30th, 2026
CE Learning Systems has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5951. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Learning Systems is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 3 NBCC hour(s) awarded.
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Logo: Approved Education Provider - NBCC

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Sep 29th, 2026
This course has been approved by CE Learning Systems, service provider of Impact CE, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #192243, CE Learning Systems is responsible for all aspects of their programming.
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NAADAC Approved Education Provider

Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (FL CSW, MFT, MHC)

3 CE credit hours — Ethics and Boundaries
Eligible until Mar 27th, 2027
Impact CE, a service of CE Learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (Provider # 50-315).
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Florida Certification Board (FCB)

3 CE credit hours
Eligible until Dec 30th, 2027
Impact CE, a service of CE learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Certification Board (FCB) to offer continuing education programs (Provider # 5069A).
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Florida Board of Psychology

3 CE credit hours — Ethics
Eligible until Dec 30th, 2028
Impact CE, a service of CE Learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Board of Psychology (Provider # 50-315).
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Missouri Credentialing Board (MCB)

3 CE credit hours — Ethics
Eligible until Dec 30th, 2026
AddictionCounselorCE is an approved provider of the Missouri Substance Abuse Professional Credentialing Board (Provider #101). AddictionCounselorCE maintains responsibility for this course and its contents.
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New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS)

3 CE credit hours — Ethics

CASAC

Renewal: Yes

CPS, CPP

Section: Section 1
Renewal: Yes
Initial: Yes
Eligible until Feb 27th, 2028
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New York Education Department Board of Social Work

3 contact hours — Boundaries
Eligible until Mar 30th, 2027
CE Learning Systems, LLC, (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. Provider #0060.
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New York Education Department Board of Mental Health Counseling

3 CE credit hours — Boundaries
Eligible until Jul 29th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0072.
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New York Education Department Board of Psychologists

3 CE credit hours — Boundaries
Eligible until Dec 29th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC, (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for psychologists, # PSY-0016.
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New York Education Department Board of Marriage and Family Therapy

3 CE credit hours — Boundaries
Eligible until May 30th, 2027
CE Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.
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Virginia Certification Board (VCB)

3 CE credit hours — Ethics
Eligible until Jul 31st, 2026
Virginia Certification Board educational provider # 106
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Course Material

This material is included for free with an annual or lifetime membership or individually for $30.00.

This course material is published by Frederic Reamer. For your convenience, has partnered with Frederic Reamer to make it available for purchase right here.

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Course Details

3 CE Hours
Recorded Webinar
Course 103287

Profession Group

  • Addictions
  • Addictions

Availability

This course is available until Dec 30th, 2031.

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