New Online and Self-Study Course on The Standard of Care in Managing Mental Health Crisis Issues is Introduced. This Course is Based On An Actual Legal Case.

New online and self-study course for mental health clinicians is introduces addressing the standard of care in managing crisis issues. This course is based on an actual legal case involving a mental health clinician and can serve as a guide for current new and seasoned clinicians in developing a structure of safety to manage unpredictable and potentially dangerous clinical situations.

SANTA BARBARA, CA (PRWEB) July 14, 2004 -- Federico C. Grosso, DDS, PhD, MFT, BCFE announces the introduction of a new Interactive Online Continuing Education Course and Self-Study Continuing Education Course titled: The Standard of Care in Managing Mental Health Crisis Issues." This course addresses the application of legal and ethical mandates expected of reasonable and prudent mental health clinicians when facing unpredictable and potentially damaging crisis issues.

Dr. Grosso based this course on a recent mental health legal case in which he served as a successful expert witness. He pointed out that this legal case reinforced the premise that crisis issues are unpredictable in nature and thus require an appropriate structure to manage them when they occur. Crisis issues tend to develop unstoppable momentum once they begin and by then, its too late to try to go back and change errors or omission and commission. These errors range from not knowing how to assess for risk factors to breaching confidentiality without having an understanding of the legal therapeutic duty regarding mandated or permitted reporting to protect a client from harming him/herself or others. This course presents a detailed structure that would support a reasonable and prudent clinicians legal and ethical therapeutic duty to assess, diagnose, and treat according to the standard of care throughout the duration of treatment.

The structure proposed in this course introduces the clinical dangers faced by mental health clinicians when they face crisis issues including, child abuse, elder/dependent abuse, Tarasoff situations, anorexia, bulimia, suicide, spousal abuse, etc. Any of these situations can cause severe physical or emotional harm to the client, his or her family, others outside of the treatment unit, and even the clinician and those associated with him or her. The structure next addresses the necessary and appropriate assessment protocols that would support a clinicians legal duty to assess appropriately. In conjunction, these serve to provide the clinician to obtain an appropriate 5-Axis diagnosis, which is the standard of care of the profession and supported by many prominent expert witnesses in this arena. The appropriate use of treatment plans, used as a treatment and assessment tool, and other documentation protocols are used extensively throughout the course to support the clinicians decisions. The course also relies on a variety of clinical vignettes exemplifying the standard of care, errors of omission and commission, and these help clinicians navigate the vagaries of crisis issues. Dr. Grossos forensic and clinical experience makes this an extremely useful and valuable course for new and seasoned clinicians. As he frequently reminds clinicians: Once the crisis has taken place, its too late to change clinical decisions." He also warns clinicians about altering written records: The technology is such that alterations are easily discernable by forensic experts. Should the clinician be found to have altered a mental health record, he or she can be found guilty of unprofessional conduct and most likely will place his or her license in jeopardy."

This course is available from http://www.fgrosso.com. Clinicians can find the interactive CEU course by clicking on Interactive Online CEU Courses. The self-study course can be found by clicking on Self-Study CEU Courses. Dr. Grosso continues to receive recognition as the leader in these types of courses. Those courses enhancing the safety of clinicians when facing unpredictable and unmanageable clinical issues, such as crisis issues.

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.