Important News for All California Drug and Alcohol Counselors, Educators, Teachers, and Clinical Supervisors
Federico C. Grosso, DDS, PhD, MFT, BCFE announces an important and impacting piece of information regarding the practice of drug and alcohol counseling in California. This information applies to all counselors, educators, clinical supervisors, and teachers. It is based on the legal standing of drug and alcohol counselors: not being licensed, thus certain important laws do not apply to them.
Santa Barbara, CA (PRWEB) April 22, 2006
Federico C. Grosso, DDS, PhD, MFT, BCFE announces an important and impacting piece of information regarding the practice of drug and alcohol counseling in California. This information applies to all counselors, educators, clinical supervisors, and teachers. It is based on the legal standing of drug and alcohol counselors: not being licensed, thus certain important laws do not apply to them.
Dr. Grosso serves as an expert witness in malpractice actions involving drug and alcohol counselors and has published the foundational academic textbook on the legal and ethical standard of care for California drug and alcohol counselors. Throughout his court cases, Attorneys ask Dr. Grosso an important question involving drug and alcohol counselors when he is testifying in court cases. He is asked if drug and alcohol counselors are legally mandated to report child abuse, elder/dependent abuse, Tarasoff situations, and are they permitted to breach confidentiality for suicide? His answer is: “No, because they are not legally identified by California law as mandated or permitted reporters.”
For California drug and alcohol counselors, this is an important and impacting issue: if they breach the client’s confidentiality without their authorization, they can be sued for malpractice and they will likely lose their case. This is true because drug and alcohol counselors are not given legal protection under the law since they are not listed as mandated or permitted reporters of harm to self or others. How can drug and alcohol counselors protect themselves in these situations?
Dr. Grosso recommends that first, the clinician use an informed consent document. California law requires drug and alcohol counselors to use one with every client. Next, this document addresses how the clinician would manage a potential situation of harm to self or others. Next, the client would sign this document. Finally, should it be necessary to breach the client’s confidentiality as required by the clinician’s ethical standards, the informed consent document provides the clinician the avenue for managing this issue safely. For additional information, Dr. Grosso recommends each clinician to consult his textbook: Advanced Applications of Law and Ethics for California Drug and Alcohol Counselors.
Background on FGrosso. com. FGrosso. com provides mental health clinicians with practical and easy-to-use clinical resources including practice enhancement workbooks, online and self-study continuing education, software, consultation as an expert witness, lectures, and academic publications. Dr. Grosso also provides expert witness services in malpractice actions involving marriage and family therapists, clinical social workers, alcohol and drug abuse counselors, certified addictions treatment specialists, and dentists accused of child abuse when providing treatment in the dental office. He also lectures for and consults with mental health organizations. He is an official lecturer on law and ethics and other subjects for the California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
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