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Confidentiality & the Duty to Protect

Sunday, June 14th, 2026   10:00 AM EDT -1:00 PM EDT
Kathryn Krase, Ph.D.,
$59.99

This session explores the concept of confidentiality in light of the mental health professional’s duty to protect. The historical evolution of the duties to protect and/or warn others from client caused harm and to protect clients from self-harm are explored. Important attention is paid to critically evaluating these duties, considering many factors that are often overlooked. Real life examples, like the important Tarasoff and Ewing cases, are used to clarify ethical and legal obligations, and highlighting the challenges found in the conflict between the two.

About the Presenter

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant and founder of Making the Tough Call is an expert on the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment. She has authored multiple books and articles on the subject. She has years of experience consulting with government and community based organizations to develop policy & practice standards.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Explain the legal and ethical obligation to keep client information confidential.
  2. Describe the evolution of the duty to protect and/or warn those at risk of client caused harm.
  3. Identify how duties to protect and/or warn compromise the professional relationship with clients.
  4. Competently discuss with their clients these obligations so that clients make an educated decision when sharing information with the professional.
  5. Appropriately respond to ethical, legal, and moral conundrums faced when considering to breach client confidentiality.

Agenda:
Introductions (10 minutes)
The Ethics and Law that Govern Confidentiality (45 minutes)
This portion of the program will explore the basic tenets of ethics and law as they
relate to client confidentiality. Sections of professional codes of ethics, as well as
federal and state law, will be introduced and explained. The concepts of private
health information (PHI), informed consent and privilege will be introduced.

Evolution of the Duty to Protect (60 minutes)
Real life case examples over 60 years will highlight important changes in policy
over time, and their resulting impact on the practice of mental health care. The
costs and benefits of these duties will be introduced.

Professional Practice Implications (50 minutes)
The policies of various states will be explored. A framework for making a decision
related to these duties will be presented and applied to case examples.

Conclusions/Questions (10 minutes)

This workshop offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
  • Interborough Developmental and Consultation Center, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. MHC# -0235
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0122.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0275.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
Refund Policy:
Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.