Learn about records requests and about writing professional-opinion client letters with State CAMFT Staff Attorneys!
6 Law & Ethics CEs available by watching pre-recorded training
This training is available only from April 12 to May 4.
NO EXTENSIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE, YOU MUST COMPLETE THE TRAINING BY MAY 4TH.
This is 6 hours of recorded Law & Ethics training, which will be available as two separate 3-hour videos. These videos will be the recordings of the two "live" Zoom webinars on Law & Ethics that Marin CAMFT is offering through State CAMFT on April 11th. You won't have to watch the training all in one sitting, you will be able to pause and resume the videos as you wish. After you watch each 3-hour training video in full, then you will need to pass the post-test and complete the course evaluation, in order to qualify for the continuing education hours. Please read the instructions in your confirmation email carefully.
IMPORTANT: You will need to complete all of these tasks between April 12 and May 4, 2022, at which time the recordings will no longer be available. We will not be able to make exceptions or extend the program beyond that date. Please only sign up if you will be able to complete the full 6-hour training in that time. NO REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS TRAINING.
This content is offered by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (California state CAMFT). The CE certificates will be issued by Marin CAMFT, who is responsible for managing compliance.
Workshop Description: Recording 1 "No-Stress Records Requests"
“Are my notes sufficient?”
“Do I have to provide the entire record??”
“Could my license be at risk???”
Anxiety-inducing questions like these often flood therapists’ minds the moment they receive records requests from patients, attorneys, insurance companies, or other third parties. However, understanding how to create quality patient records and effectively respond to records requests can allow practitioners to handle such requests with confidence and ease. Join CAMFT staff attorney Brad Muldrow for a helpful overview of the legal and ethical requirements for recordkeeping and responding to records requests.
Participants will become familiar with notetaking approaches that: 1) are consistent with their legal and ethical obligations; and 2) demonstrate their competence and the effectiveness of their services in case the notes are ever reviewed by attorneys or other third parties during litigation, BBS disciplinary hearings, or other legal processes. Participants will understand state and federal requirements for responding to records requests from patients, attorneys, insurance companies, and other third parties.
Learning Objectives - "No-Stress Records Requests"
Upon completion of this training, attendees will be able to:
- Recognize the BBS’ recordkeeping standard and identify two additional recordkeeping systems that are utilized by certain third-party payers and employers
- Know how long the law requires them to keep patient records post-termination and why CAMFT recommends that practitioners keep their records for three years beyond that period
- Recognize important legal distinctions between responding to records requests under HIPAA and California law
Presenter for "No-Stress Records Requests": Bradley Jordan Muldrow, Esq.
As a CAMFT staff attorney, Bradley J. Muldrow, Esq. takes member phone calls regarding law and ethics issues and contributes articles on those subjects to CAMFT's publication, The Therapist. Prior to joining CAMFT’s legal team, Brad worked on litigation and regulatory matters as an attorney for San Diego Gas & Electric Company.
Since becoming an attorney, Brad has given law and ethics presentations to attorneys and judges as a member of the J. Clifford Wallace Inn of Court. He has also served as a board member for the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Foundation, a San Diego-based nonprofit.
Or, register for the "live" Zoom training for No-Stress Records Requests on April 11th instead.
Workshop Description: Recording 2 "Writing Professional Opinion Letters"
Therapists are often asked to write letters, fill out forms and offer professional opinions on behalf of clients. During this three hour presentation, CAMFT Staff Attorney Alain Montgomery will review key legal and ethical standards for therapists to consider before writing a letter or filling out a form for a client, and discuss how to manage the potential outcome of having to respond to a subpoena and/or testify as a witness in a legal proceeding which could result from having rendered a professional opinion on behalf of a client.
Participants will gain a better understanding of their scope of practice and scope of competence, understand the applicable standard of care that governs their profession and be able to identify the applicable CAMFT ethical standards that relate to writing letters and offering professional opinions. At the end of the workshop, participants will be better equipped to make informed and legally and ethically sound decisions when writing letters on behalf of a client and understand the boundaries around offering professional opinions in court involved cases.
Learning Objectives - "Writing Professional Opinion Letters"
Upon completion of this training, attendees will be able to:
- Distinguish the meaning between a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist’s (LMFT) Scope of Practice and Scope of Competence.
- Identify the applicable standards of care and relevant sections of the CAMFT Code of Ethics that address issues related to writing letters and offering professional opinions.
- Identify the basic that pertain to writing letters.
- Identify specific considerations for a therapist to evaluate when contemplating whether or not to write a letter or fill out a form on behalf of a client.
- Develop practical guidelines for writing letters and transmitting letters to clients or third parties.
- Identify the types of letters that a therapist is typically asked to write at the request of a client and the situations during which a therapist may be asked to provide a professional opinion in a legal proceeding.
- Determine the steps that can be utilized to manage the potential outcomes of having to respond to a client’s or third party’s request for the client’s record or respond to a subpoena to produce documents or testify in court which could result from having written a letter on behalf of a client.
Presenter for "Writing Professional Opinion Letters": Alain Montgomery, Esq.
Alain Lance Montgomery, Esq., is a member of the State Bar of California. Alain received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley and a Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Prior to joining the CAMFT legal department, Alain worked in public interest law as a legal advisor for the Superior Court of California where he helped self-represented parties navigate the complexities of small claims litigation. As a member of the CAMFT legal department, Alain has served as part of the support staff for the CAMFT Ethics Committee and has represented the Association at various state regulatory board meetings. After graduating from college and before attending law school, Alain worked as a ski instructor at Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort.
Or, register for the "live" Zoom training for Writing Professional Opinion Letters instead.
Additional Information
For more information, please contact Marin CAMFT's Director of Programs Norman Hering.
- Continuing Education: This workshop meets the qualifications for continuing education hours for LMFTs, LCSWs, LEPs and LPCCs. The number of CEs awarded is specified in the event description. These CEs will be provided by Marin CAMFT (CAMFT Provider # 56895), which is approved by state CAMFT to sponsor CE for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs. We regret that at this time we are not able to provide CE units for Licensed Psychologists. Participants must attend the full session and complete the evaluation at the end to receive the CE completion certificate. Marin CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. Contact our Director of Programs for more information.
- Refund Policy: NO REFUNDS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THIS TRAINING.
- Request for Accommodations: If you need accommodations for this event, please contact the Director of Programs.
- Grievance Procedure: Marin CAMFT will respond to complaints in a reasonable, ethical and timely manner, when submitted by program attendees in writing to the Director of Programs.
- Anti-Discrimination Policy: Marin CAMFT shall not discriminate against any individual or group with respect to any service, program or activity based on gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, creed, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, ability, or other prohibited basis. Marin CAMFT does not require attendees to adhere to any particular religion or creed in order to participate in training. Marin CAMFT will not promote or advocate for a single modality of treatment that is discriminatory or likely to harm clients based on current accepted standards or practice.
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