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Ethics in Forensic Psychological Practice

Presented By Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP
Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP

10 hours | 10 CEs

This on-demand professional training program on Ethics in Forensic Psychological Practice is presented by Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP. This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards various certificates. Enroll to earn credit and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues. This program counts as a foundational program in the certificates:

  1. Criminal Forensic Assessment Certificate
  2. Child Custody Evaluation Certificate
  3. Civil Forensic Assessment Certificate
  4. Juvenile Forensic Assessment Certificate
  5. Violence Risk Assessment Certificate

Using a case study approach, this program reviews ethical challenges/issues commonly encountered by forensic psychologists.  After introducing an ethical decision-making framework and identifying the various sources of authority that can impose obligations on psychologists when providing forensic services, the following challenges are discussed:

  1. Distinguishing between informed consent, assent, and notification (and when each must be provided and obtained);
  2. Documenting and communicating findings;
  3. Issues of multiple roles and relationships, and conflicts of interest;
  4. Privacy, confidentiality, and privilege in the forensic evaluation and treatment contexts;
  5. Recording of, or third-party presence during, forensic evaluations;
  6. Release of reports and test data;
  7. Examination billing and reimbursement practices;
  8. Editing/altering reports;
  9. Offering opinions about persons not examined;
  10. Obligations to take into account issues of diversity in forensic evaluation contexts;
  11. Use of social media data; and addressing the substandard practice by peers.

Intended Audience

This on-demand professional training program is intended for mental health and other allied professionals

Experience Level

This on-demand professional training program is appropriate for beginner, intermediate, and advanced level clinicians.

CE / CPD Credit

APA, ASWB, CPA, NBCC Click here for state and other regional board approvals.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program you will be able to:

Describe a 7-step problem-solving process to respond to ethical/legal dilemmas

Describe and locate key sources of authority for forensic psychology practice

Describe conditions under which multiple roles/relationships are permitted, prohibited, and discouraged

Describe the circumstances in which consent must or need not be obtained from forensic examinees

Describe and employ strategies when asked to record, or allow a third party to observe a forensic evaluation

Describe the circumstances/conditions under which psychologists are permitted to offer opinions about persons not examined

Distinguish between privacy, confidentiality, and privilege as applied to forensic evaluation and treatment contexts, and describe how each impacts what information is included in one’s records and testimony

Describe the substandard work of colleagues in such a way that meets one’s ethical obligations

Describe the obligations one has when examining persons who differ in significant ways from groups on which traditional tests were developed

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Presented By

Randy Otto, PhD, ABPP

Randy Otto has been a faculty member in the Department of Mental Health Law & Policy at the University of South Florida in Tampa since 1989. As part of his responsibilities at USF, Dr. Otto trains mental health professionals, attorneys, and judges on various matters regarding the intersecti...

Curriculum

1. Introduction

2. Role Issues

3. Privacy Issues

4. Consent Issues

5. Notification Issues

6. Collateral Issues

7. Assessment Issues

8. Record-Keeping Issues

9. Documentation Issues

10. Fee Issues

Develop a Specialty Area of Practice

Transforming mental health professionals into experts

Expert Instructors

Professional training developed and delivered by the field's leading experts

CE Credit

Earn CE credit for meaningful professional training that will elevate your practice

Convenience & Flexibility

Learn at your own pace, from wherever you might be!

PAU

Earn Certificates

This is badge-earning course, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like Linkedin.