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Ethical and Legal Issues for Mental Health Professionals: A Comprehensive Handbook of Principles and Standards details the ethical and legal issues that involve mental health professionals. Respected authorities with diverse backgrounds, expertise, and professional experience discuss contemporary theories emphasizing professional ethics, the ramifications of professional actions and decisions, and ethical standards on teaching, training, research, and publication. This informative handbook provides invaluable up-to-date information and guidelines vital for every mental health professional.

This book is a thorough examination of ethical behavior which can be used as a reference source for the professional or a textbook for graduate students. The handbook itself is divided into five sections. The first section is a detailed introduction of ethics, law, and licensing. The second section presents general ethical principles like competence, integrity, and respect for individual rights and dignity. The third section examines confidentiality, privilege, consent, and protection. The fourth section focuses on general ethical standards in practice, including sexual contact, multiple relationships, and bartering. The fifth section presents the ethical principles and standards in teaching, training, and research. Appendices include the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (American Psychological Association, 2002) and the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (National Association of Social Workers, 1999).

Ethical and Legal Issues for Mental Health Professionals: A Comprehensive Handbook of Principles and Standards discusses:

• the history of basic approaches and issues in ethical philosophy
• five fundamental areas in the process of developing competence
• the necessary ingredients for the mental health professional's practice of integrity
• aspirational versus enforceable standards of ethics
• concern for the welfare of others as a core ethical principle
• the notion of social responsibility in the ethics codes of psychologists and social workers
• ethical principles, statutes, and case law protecting privacy and confidentiality
• issues involving the therapist-patient privilege
• the "duty to protect" doctrine and relevant legal issues
• the dynamics of multiple relationships and boundary violations
• sexualized dual relationships between psychologists and patients
• possible conflict of interest in bartering for services
• the requirements and implementation of maintaining patient records to avoid ethical and legal problems
• possible ethical dilemmas involving referrals and fees
• much, much more

This Handbook is an essential resource for all mental health professionals, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, counselors, therapists, and graduate students in mental health and the related fields.

Ethical and Legal Issues for Mental Health Professionals: A Comprehensive Handbook of Principles and Standards is the first of three volumes under this title. The following volumes will focus on forensic settings and special populations/special treatment modalities.