California Laws & Ethics for MFTs (12 hrs - Req'd if failed CA L/E exam)

California Law and Ethics for Marriage and Family Therapists *
Course By: Association for Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences

Content By: Benjamin E. Caldwell, PsyD, and Association for Advanced Training in the Behavioral Sciences

Course Delivery: Textbook, Online, Self-Paced

[This course meets requirements for candidates who fail the California MFT Law and Ethics Exam]

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 also reviews recent changes in law and regulations regarding records retention, child abuse reporting, advertising, disciplinary actions, and more.

In addition, this course includes the text of the CAMFT and AAMFT 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 professional competence and responsibility (competence, multiple relationships and conflicts of interest, interruption or termination of therapy, responsibility to the profession and professional colleagues); confidentiality and privilege; and practice management (recordkeeping, and fees and financial relationships).

Learning objectives:

1. Define and delineate the scope of practice for marriage and family therapists
2. Summarize the licensing requirements for marriage and family therapists
3. Summarize the actions that constitute unprofessional conduct for marriage and family therapists
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 AAMFT and CAMFT Code of Ethics

* Upon registration, the course textbook (Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs – Sixth Edition, 2019, by Benjamin Caldwell, PsyD) will be shipped to you. The cost of shipping within the U.S. is included in the course fee. For shipping outside the U.S., please call for costs.  In addition to the book, there are also online reading modules as part of the course content to complete the course.  These modules can be accessed before the book arrives.

This course is not available for NBCC credit.