Description

Handouts

Outline

Private Practice Best Practices – Avoiding Legal & Ethical Issues

• What Is and Isn’t a Private Practice
• What are the Goals for Your Business?
• Choose an Ethical Model to Refer to and Apply
• Services You Do and Don’t Provide
• Screening for Potential Clients
• Policies – The Good, The Bad & the Ugly
• Create an Effective Policy Plan for Your Practice
• Intake and Informed Consent Process & Policies
• Understanding Risk – What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You
• How to Avoid Being Sued – An Ounce of Prevention

Financial and Business Issues in Private Practice – Ethical Dilemmas

• Referrals, Gifts & Bartering – Ethical Issues
  • Example Case – “Gifts, Referrals & More: Stephen’s New Practice”
• Marketing Your Practice and Yourself to the Public – What’s Ethical?
  • Client Testimonials
  • Example Case – “Dr. Jones’ Website”
• Fee Policy – Applying Best Practices to Avoid Trouble
  • Usual & Customary Fee
  • Sliding Scales
  • Pro Bono Publico
• Insurance Provider Networks
• Unhappy Customers – How to Avoid Legal Issues
  • Example Case – “The Unhappy Client: Linda’s Refund Demand”
• Multiple Services – Blurred Lines & Ethics
  • Example Case – “Maggie’s New Revenue Stream”
• LLC vs. Partnership vs. Sole Proprietorship – What’s Best for You?
• Multiple Private Practice Roles – What Hat Do You Wear?
• Relationships with Colleagues/Competitors

Boundary Issues in Private Practice – Top Challenges

• Why Boundary Issues are more Important in Private Practice
• Isolation – The Slippery Slope of Multiple Relationships
• Power Differentials – Clients, Employees, Supervisees
• Top Boundary Challenges in Private Practice
  • Example Case – “The Coffee Shop”
  • Example Case – “The Long-term Client”

Technology in Private Practice – Legal & Ethical Issues

• Social Media Policies to Implement
  • Example Case – “Ashley’s Tweets”
• Distance Therapy – 6 Keys to Practice
• Online Listing Services
  • Practice Management Software and Electronic Medical Records

Record-Keeping in a Private Practice

• Establishing Written Record-keeping Policies
• HIPAA – What you Need to Know
• FERPA – What you Need to Know
• Privacy Policies

Working with Minors in Private Practice

• Informed Consent Policies & Procedures for Minors
• Establishing Who has Authority for Consent
• Know Your Rights – Responding to Records Requests for Minors
  • Example Case – “Celeste and Her Father”

Faculty

Terry Casey, PhD Related seminars and products: 20

---

TERRY CASEY, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, HSP health service provider with over 30 years of professional experience, including a 16-year tenure as the director of counseling & psychological services for a non-profit agency with over 30 counselors at over a dozen locations. He is in private practice in Franklin Tennessee, teaches ethics and professional issues in counseling at Lipscomb University’s graduate program in clinical mental health counseling, and guest lectures at Trevecca Nazarene University’s PhD program in Clinical counseling. Dr. Casey also served for several years as the chair of the ethics committee for the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors’ Association and in an advisory capacity for graduate counseling programs at two universities. He has presented frequently on ethics to organizations such as the American Counseling Association, the Tennessee Licensed Professional Counselors Association, the Nashville Area Association of Christian Counselors, and others. For more information, visit his practice website at rencounselingtn.com.

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: Dr. Terry Casey maintains a private practice. He is an adjunct faculty member at Lipscomb University. Dr. Casey receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc.

Non-financial: Dr. Terry Casey is a member of the American Psychological Association and the American Counseling Association.