When confronted with an ethical dilemma, most of us have been encouraged to consult a colleague. In some states, peer consultation is considered part of a standard of care. Graduate school is likely when most of us first encountered this recommendation. Beyond the direction to “consult,” however, many of us were probably not provided information […]
Gun violence continues to be a serious and growing problem. At least monthly, another mass shooting becomes the news of the day. Politically, there appears to be no sincere attempt to address gun violence by the Republican Party that controls all levels of the federal government. I’m sure some will bristle at singling out Republicans. […]
Psychologists are increasingly incorporating the use of technology to provide a wide range of services. Older technologies such as telephones and facsimile machines have been used for decades but more often use of newer technologies such as teleconferencing, email or texting are becoming common practice. Psychological services provided via telecommunications or telepsychology can include not […]
You receive a request for services via voicemail from an individual using a video-phone relay service, suggesting the potential client is deaf or hard-of-hearing (HOH). Upon returning this individual’s call, they identify themselves as deaf and request the presence of a licensed and certified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter at their intake the following week. […]
As Washington, D.C., struggles to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a little-known movement has the potential to upend how insurance companies and health care providers do business. Legislators had hoped the ACA would constrain health expenditures through various pay-for-performance initiatives. However, value-based programs have largely failed thus far, and cost control remains […]
Informed consent for psychological services is a clinically meaningful and client empowering dialogue. Additionally, many licensing board complaints can be prevented or quickly resolved by a thoughtful, documented informed consent. Here are some of the basics to review: What is important for an individual to know about therapy before agreeing to participate? Therapist’s training, methods, […]
The goal of risk management is to reduce the likelihood of discipline by a malpractice court, licensing board, ethics committee or another oversight body. Risk management is an important topic, but it could be viewed as a subset of the larger issue of how to deliver high quality professional services. The best risk management strategy […]
Working ethically with sexual and gender minority clients requires cultural competence. While this column attempts to address some specific ethical issues, clinicians are advised to seek training and supervision and to develop relationships with LGBTQ people outside of the office to continue to develop cultural competence. It is also important to recognize that there are […]
Washington, D.C. – A researcher with the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine told psychologists at the 125th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association that physicians in private practice are under-using a drug that could help combat the nation’s epidemic of opioid addiction. Andrew Huhn, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow with the school’s behavioral pharmacology […]
Q: I am conducting a psychological evaluation that has been ordered by the court. Since the client has no choice but to participate, do I need to gain informed consent for this service? A: Per APA’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, informed consent is required for research and most psychological services (Standard […]
