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CA MFT LAW AND ETHICS EXAM AND PRACTICE
EXAM NEWEST 2025/ 2026 TEST BANK| ACTUAL
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DEETAILED
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) ALREADY GRADED
A+| BRAND NEW!!
A client receives treatment for substance abuse by a therapist who is a recovering
alcoholic. During the course of this client's treatment, the therapist begins to
experience cravings and begins to use alcohol after sessions with this client. Which
of the following actions should the therapist take in order to address the ethical
issues in this situation?
Response:
A. Terminate services with the client immediately.
B. Seek immediate consultation to resolve countertransference issues.
C. Seek alcohol treatment to address relapse.
D. Share feelings with client as way of creating a supportive common ground of
experience. - Correct Answer - C.
Rationale:
The therapist needs to address their own relapse first therefore C is the best answer.
The other answers do not address the therapist getting the help that is needed.
Answer A could be seen as abandoning the client. B is a possibility after seeking
treatment and D could be placing undue burden on the client.
A woman calls a therapist at an agency and informs the therapist that her brother
received therapy from another therapist in the same agency and a business
relationship developed between that therapist and the client's brother. How should
the therapist manage the ethical issue in this case?
Response:
A. Discuss ethical expectations around dual relationships with the client.
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B. Assist the woman in filing a complaint with the licensing board.
C. Confront the colleague regarding the alleged ethical violation.
D. Review agency's policies regarding unethical behavior of therapists. - Correct
Answer - C
Rationale:
When dealing with ethical violations of colleagues it is always advised to first go
to the colleague and express your concern therefore answer C is the best answer.
A therapist is meeting with a 16-year-old boy who reports he recently broke into
his parents locked liquor cabinet when they were sleeping and got drunk. What
legal responsibilities does the therapist have in this case?
Response:
A. File a report with CPS for neglect and document it in the record.
B. Maintain confidentiality and assess for risk.
C. Inform client that his parents must be informed and document it in the record.
D. Maintain confidentiality and safety plan with client. - Correct Answer - B.
Rationale:
The best answer is B. If you shared this info with the parents (C) you would
undermine the therapy relationship. It is better to maintain confidentiality complete
a full risk assessment to determine how serious the issue is.
A licensed therapist moves to another city in a different part of the state and
relocates his private practice. What are his legal obligations in this case?
Response:
A. Maintain the same system he was previously using for record keeping.
B. Provide all of his previous clients with his new office address.
C. Notify the Board of Behavioral Sciences of his change of address within 30
days.
pg. 2
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D. Provide all of his previous clients with referrals to appropriate local therapists. -
Correct Answer -: C
Rationale
30 days is the standard time you need to notify the BBS of name or address
changes or convictions.
A therapist lowered his fee for a client following the client losing his job. The
client informs the therapist that he was able to find a new job that pays even more
than his former job. The therapist would like to raise fees now that the client's
financial situation has improved. How should the therapist ethically manage the
situation?
Response:
A. Inform the client of the need to raise fees and provide one month's notice of
increase.
B. Reassess the change in client's situation and raise it in an agreed about amount
of time.
C. Ask client when he plans to pay the full fee again and document it in his record.
D. Provide client with a written notice of the fee policy and discuss implications. -
Correct Answer - B.
Rationale:
Ethically, therapists are permitted to raise fees after adjusting them to meet a
client's needs. Prior to adjusting the fees, the therapist should assess the client's
situation and, with the client, agree on an acceptable timeline, making answer B
the best option. Answers A, C, and D overlook the process of engaging the client
and determining what is appropriate.
A therapist has terminated with her client due to presenting issue being outside the
therapist's scope of competence. The client was provided with a referral and has a
first session with the new therapist scheduled. Prior to meeting with the new
therapist, the client experiences a crisis situation and contacts the old therapist.
What are the therapist's legal obligations in this case?
pg. 3
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Response:
A. Provide client with a crisis hotline number.
B. Talk with client and help address crisis since she has not started with the new
therapist.
C. Contact her new therapist to inform them of client's situation.
D. Tell client you are unable to provide services and they should contact new
therapist. - Correct Answer - B
Rationale:
Answer B is the best option. While the therapist and client terminated, the client is
in crisis and needs immediate assistance. In this case the therapist initiated the
termination, so to avoid abandonment you'd want to do B.
A 14-year-old girl consents to her own treatment after the therapist determined it
would not be appropriate to involve parents. After several sessions, the girl tells the
therapist that she would like to include her mother in treatment. How should the
therapist manage the legal issue of fees?
Response:
A. Inform the client that she will continue to be responsible for fees.
B. Inform the client that once the mother is involved in treatment that she will be
responsible for fees.
C. Inform client the mother does not have a responsibility to make payment
regardless of involvement.
D. Inform client that both she and mother will be responsible for payment. -
Correct Answer - A.
Rationale:
The client who consented to treatment is responsible for fees, answer A. Involving
the mother in treatment does not change the fee agreement.
pg. 4
CA MFT LAW AND ETHICS EXAM AND PRACTICE
EXAM NEWEST 2025/ 2026 TEST BANK| ACTUAL
EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DEETAILED
ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) ALREADY GRADED
A+| BRAND NEW!!
A client receives treatment for substance abuse by a therapist who is a recovering
alcoholic. During the course of this client's treatment, the therapist begins to
experience cravings and begins to use alcohol after sessions with this client. Which
of the following actions should the therapist take in order to address the ethical
issues in this situation?
Response:
A. Terminate services with the client immediately.
B. Seek immediate consultation to resolve countertransference issues.
C. Seek alcohol treatment to address relapse.
D. Share feelings with client as way of creating a supportive common ground of
experience. - Correct Answer - C.
Rationale:
The therapist needs to address their own relapse first therefore C is the best answer.
The other answers do not address the therapist getting the help that is needed.
Answer A could be seen as abandoning the client. B is a possibility after seeking
treatment and D could be placing undue burden on the client.
A woman calls a therapist at an agency and informs the therapist that her brother
received therapy from another therapist in the same agency and a business
relationship developed between that therapist and the client's brother. How should
the therapist manage the ethical issue in this case?
Response:
A. Discuss ethical expectations around dual relationships with the client.
pg. 1
,2|Page
B. Assist the woman in filing a complaint with the licensing board.
C. Confront the colleague regarding the alleged ethical violation.
D. Review agency's policies regarding unethical behavior of therapists. - Correct
Answer - C
Rationale:
When dealing with ethical violations of colleagues it is always advised to first go
to the colleague and express your concern therefore answer C is the best answer.
A therapist is meeting with a 16-year-old boy who reports he recently broke into
his parents locked liquor cabinet when they were sleeping and got drunk. What
legal responsibilities does the therapist have in this case?
Response:
A. File a report with CPS for neglect and document it in the record.
B. Maintain confidentiality and assess for risk.
C. Inform client that his parents must be informed and document it in the record.
D. Maintain confidentiality and safety plan with client. - Correct Answer - B.
Rationale:
The best answer is B. If you shared this info with the parents (C) you would
undermine the therapy relationship. It is better to maintain confidentiality complete
a full risk assessment to determine how serious the issue is.
A licensed therapist moves to another city in a different part of the state and
relocates his private practice. What are his legal obligations in this case?
Response:
A. Maintain the same system he was previously using for record keeping.
B. Provide all of his previous clients with his new office address.
C. Notify the Board of Behavioral Sciences of his change of address within 30
days.
pg. 2
,3|Page
D. Provide all of his previous clients with referrals to appropriate local therapists. -
Correct Answer -: C
Rationale
30 days is the standard time you need to notify the BBS of name or address
changes or convictions.
A therapist lowered his fee for a client following the client losing his job. The
client informs the therapist that he was able to find a new job that pays even more
than his former job. The therapist would like to raise fees now that the client's
financial situation has improved. How should the therapist ethically manage the
situation?
Response:
A. Inform the client of the need to raise fees and provide one month's notice of
increase.
B. Reassess the change in client's situation and raise it in an agreed about amount
of time.
C. Ask client when he plans to pay the full fee again and document it in his record.
D. Provide client with a written notice of the fee policy and discuss implications. -
Correct Answer - B.
Rationale:
Ethically, therapists are permitted to raise fees after adjusting them to meet a
client's needs. Prior to adjusting the fees, the therapist should assess the client's
situation and, with the client, agree on an acceptable timeline, making answer B
the best option. Answers A, C, and D overlook the process of engaging the client
and determining what is appropriate.
A therapist has terminated with her client due to presenting issue being outside the
therapist's scope of competence. The client was provided with a referral and has a
first session with the new therapist scheduled. Prior to meeting with the new
therapist, the client experiences a crisis situation and contacts the old therapist.
What are the therapist's legal obligations in this case?
pg. 3
, 4|Page
Response:
A. Provide client with a crisis hotline number.
B. Talk with client and help address crisis since she has not started with the new
therapist.
C. Contact her new therapist to inform them of client's situation.
D. Tell client you are unable to provide services and they should contact new
therapist. - Correct Answer - B
Rationale:
Answer B is the best option. While the therapist and client terminated, the client is
in crisis and needs immediate assistance. In this case the therapist initiated the
termination, so to avoid abandonment you'd want to do B.
A 14-year-old girl consents to her own treatment after the therapist determined it
would not be appropriate to involve parents. After several sessions, the girl tells the
therapist that she would like to include her mother in treatment. How should the
therapist manage the legal issue of fees?
Response:
A. Inform the client that she will continue to be responsible for fees.
B. Inform the client that once the mother is involved in treatment that she will be
responsible for fees.
C. Inform client the mother does not have a responsibility to make payment
regardless of involvement.
D. Inform client that both she and mother will be responsible for payment. -
Correct Answer - A.
Rationale:
The client who consented to treatment is responsible for fees, answer A. Involving
the mother in treatment does not change the fee agreement.
pg. 4
