Ms. Polly Petrovich, a licensed MFT, has been seeing a couple in therapy for over 14
months with no apparent change in the couple's problems. Ms. Petrovich should
_______________.
Select one:
A. advise the couple that she is ethically obligated to terminate therapy
B. raise for discussion the possibility of termination and referral to another therapist
C. determine if the couple is satisfied with the progress of therapy and, if so, continue
to see them
D. continue seeing the couple since 14 months is not an unusually long time for
therapy to continue without a significant change in symptoms
Give this one a try later!
, The correct answer is B.
Discussing the possibility of termination and referral to another therapist is
consistent with Subprinciple 1.4 of the CAMFT Code of Ethics. It states:
"Marriage and family therapists use sound clinical judgment when
terminating therapeutic relationships and do so in an appropriate manner.
Reasons for termination may include, but are not limited to: the patient is
not benefiting from treatment; continuing treatment is not clinically
appropriate; the therapist is unable to provide treatment due to the
therapist's incapacity or extended absence, or in order to avoid an ethical
conflict or problem."
Answer A: Terminating therapy is a good idea in this situation, but this
answer is not as good as answer B. This option opens the discussion to the
couple.
Answer C: An MFT would not want to continue therapy with clients who are
not benefiting even when the clients are satisfied with the progress of
therapy.
Answer D: Although the resolution of some problems may take 14 months
or longer, providing services for this long with "no apparent change" in the
clients' problems seems unacceptable.
A new client, Maggie, is 27 years old, lives with her husband, has no children, and is
employed as a veterinary assistant. During her first therapy session, Maggie tells the
therapist that her husband lost his job last month and, since then, has become
verbally and physically abusive. She says that, on one occasion, he gave her a black
eye. The therapist should ____________________.
Select one:
A. get Maggie's permission to file a spousal abuse report and provide her with the
phone number of a local shelter
B. encourage Maggie to file a police report herself and discuss her options
C. assess the level of danger and help Maggie develop a safety plan
D. recommend that Maggie bring her husband to the next therapy session
Give this one a try later!
, The correct answer is C.
In cases of spousal abuse, a therapist's first responsibility is to ensure the
victim's safety, which involves assessing the current level of danger for the
client and helping the client develop a safety plan. Note that, in California,
a therapist is required to file a report of abuse only if the victim is a minor,
an older adult (age 60 or older), or a dependent adult.
scope of practice...
applies to:
defined by:
can you expand yours?:
Give this one a try later!
applies to: everyone in your profession equally
defined by: state law
can you expand yours?: no (unless you get additional licenses)
A mental health agency just received a grant to conduct research on the effectiveness
of services provided by the agency's marriage and family therapists. Ethically, it's most
important for the agency to consider which of the following questions?
Select one:
A. Will the results of the research benefit the clients?
B. Do clients have sufficient information to make an informed choice about whether or
not to participate in the research?
C. Is the agency being paid to conduct the research?
D. Do clients understand the potential limitations on the confidentiality of information
that will be collected during the study?
Give this one a try later!
, B. Do clients have sufficient information to make an informed choice about
whether or not to participate in the research?
After treating a family for several months, they decide they want to terminate therapy.
At termination, they have a small outstanding balance that they promise to pay. After
several months of billing them with no response, the therapist stops billing. One year
later the therapist receives a request from another therapist for copies of the
evaluations she administered to several family members. The therapist should
________________________.
A. make copies of the requested evaluations and send them to the therapist only if the
request is accompanied by signed authorizations from the family members
B. make copies of the requested evaluations and send them to the family with a copy
of a past-due bill
C. call the family to obtain a verbal authorization to release copies of the evaluations
before sending them to the therapist
D. send a letter to the family stating that she will send copies of the requested
evaluations to the therapist when they pay their outstanding balance
Give this one a try later!
The correct answer is A.
Withholding client records due to unpaid fees is illegal and unethical:
H&SC Section 123110( j) prohibits health care providers "from withholding
patient records or summaries of patient records because of an unpaid bill
for health care services." And CAMFT Ethical Principle 12.7 similarly
prohibits MFTs from withholding "patient records or information solely
because the therapist has not been paid for prior professional services."
However, before sending copies of the evaluations to the therapist, she
should obtain written authorizations from the family members.
Answer B: It is not appropriate to send a past-due bill with the copies of the
requested evaluations. Also, there is no mention of any release of
authorization signed by the family for permission to send this to the other
therapist.
months with no apparent change in the couple's problems. Ms. Petrovich should
_______________.
Select one:
A. advise the couple that she is ethically obligated to terminate therapy
B. raise for discussion the possibility of termination and referral to another therapist
C. determine if the couple is satisfied with the progress of therapy and, if so, continue
to see them
D. continue seeing the couple since 14 months is not an unusually long time for
therapy to continue without a significant change in symptoms
Give this one a try later!
, The correct answer is B.
Discussing the possibility of termination and referral to another therapist is
consistent with Subprinciple 1.4 of the CAMFT Code of Ethics. It states:
"Marriage and family therapists use sound clinical judgment when
terminating therapeutic relationships and do so in an appropriate manner.
Reasons for termination may include, but are not limited to: the patient is
not benefiting from treatment; continuing treatment is not clinically
appropriate; the therapist is unable to provide treatment due to the
therapist's incapacity or extended absence, or in order to avoid an ethical
conflict or problem."
Answer A: Terminating therapy is a good idea in this situation, but this
answer is not as good as answer B. This option opens the discussion to the
couple.
Answer C: An MFT would not want to continue therapy with clients who are
not benefiting even when the clients are satisfied with the progress of
therapy.
Answer D: Although the resolution of some problems may take 14 months
or longer, providing services for this long with "no apparent change" in the
clients' problems seems unacceptable.
A new client, Maggie, is 27 years old, lives with her husband, has no children, and is
employed as a veterinary assistant. During her first therapy session, Maggie tells the
therapist that her husband lost his job last month and, since then, has become
verbally and physically abusive. She says that, on one occasion, he gave her a black
eye. The therapist should ____________________.
Select one:
A. get Maggie's permission to file a spousal abuse report and provide her with the
phone number of a local shelter
B. encourage Maggie to file a police report herself and discuss her options
C. assess the level of danger and help Maggie develop a safety plan
D. recommend that Maggie bring her husband to the next therapy session
Give this one a try later!
, The correct answer is C.
In cases of spousal abuse, a therapist's first responsibility is to ensure the
victim's safety, which involves assessing the current level of danger for the
client and helping the client develop a safety plan. Note that, in California,
a therapist is required to file a report of abuse only if the victim is a minor,
an older adult (age 60 or older), or a dependent adult.
scope of practice...
applies to:
defined by:
can you expand yours?:
Give this one a try later!
applies to: everyone in your profession equally
defined by: state law
can you expand yours?: no (unless you get additional licenses)
A mental health agency just received a grant to conduct research on the effectiveness
of services provided by the agency's marriage and family therapists. Ethically, it's most
important for the agency to consider which of the following questions?
Select one:
A. Will the results of the research benefit the clients?
B. Do clients have sufficient information to make an informed choice about whether or
not to participate in the research?
C. Is the agency being paid to conduct the research?
D. Do clients understand the potential limitations on the confidentiality of information
that will be collected during the study?
Give this one a try later!
, B. Do clients have sufficient information to make an informed choice about
whether or not to participate in the research?
After treating a family for several months, they decide they want to terminate therapy.
At termination, they have a small outstanding balance that they promise to pay. After
several months of billing them with no response, the therapist stops billing. One year
later the therapist receives a request from another therapist for copies of the
evaluations she administered to several family members. The therapist should
________________________.
A. make copies of the requested evaluations and send them to the therapist only if the
request is accompanied by signed authorizations from the family members
B. make copies of the requested evaluations and send them to the family with a copy
of a past-due bill
C. call the family to obtain a verbal authorization to release copies of the evaluations
before sending them to the therapist
D. send a letter to the family stating that she will send copies of the requested
evaluations to the therapist when they pay their outstanding balance
Give this one a try later!
The correct answer is A.
Withholding client records due to unpaid fees is illegal and unethical:
H&SC Section 123110( j) prohibits health care providers "from withholding
patient records or summaries of patient records because of an unpaid bill
for health care services." And CAMFT Ethical Principle 12.7 similarly
prohibits MFTs from withholding "patient records or information solely
because the therapist has not been paid for prior professional services."
However, before sending copies of the evaluations to the therapist, she
should obtain written authorizations from the family members.
Answer B: It is not appropriate to send a past-due bill with the copies of the
requested evaluations. Also, there is no mention of any release of
authorization signed by the family for permission to send this to the other
therapist.
