ACA Leadership Conference
July 24, 2010
Alexandria, VA

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Top Ten Steps to Reduce the Risk of Lawsuits and Licensure Board Complaints

PRESENTERS
Anne Marie “Nancy” Wheeler, JD
Attorney, Private Practice
Silver Spring, MD
Affiliate Faculty
Graduate Pastoral Counseling Program
Loyola College, Maryland

Burt Bertram, Ed.D., LMFT, LMHC
Counseling & Consulting, Private Practice
Orlando, Florida
Adjunct Faculty
Graduate Studies in Counseling Program
Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
burt@burtbertram.com

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Program Abstract This presentation highlights the Top Ten risks of lawsuit and licensure board complaint that counselors and counselor leaders should know about. It includes new information about federal HITECH regulations which update HIPAA and also presents new concerns raised by counselor's use of social media. HANDOUT: PowerPoint: .pdf BOOK: The Counselor and the Law (Order Form)

ACA Conference
March 2010
Pittsburgh, PA

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Risky Business: Legal & Ethical Case Studies

PRESENTERS
Anne Marie “Nancy” Wheeler, JD
Attorney, Private Practice
Silver Spring, MD
Affiliate Faculty
Graduate Pastoral Counseling Program
Loyola College, Maryland
wheelern@comcast.net

Burt Bertram, Ed.D., LMFT, LMHC
Counseling & Consulting, Private Practice
Orlando, Florida
Adjunct Faculty
Graduate Studies in Counseling Program
Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
burt@burtbertram.com

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Program Abstract Utilizing a Ethical Decision-Making Model two case studies built on real life issues that result in licensing board complaints and/or lawsuits will be presented. Participants will have an opportunity to test their ethical case consultation skills. HANDOUT: PowerPoint: .pdf BOOK: The Counselor and the Law (Order Form)

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The Curse of the Custody Case

PRESENTERS
Anne Marie “Nancy” Wheeler, JD
Attorney, Private Practice
Silver Spring, MD
Affiliate Faculty
Graduate Pastoral Counseling Program
Loyola College, Maryland
wheelern@comcast.net

Burt Bertram, Ed.D., LMFT, LMHC
Counseling & Consulting, Private Practice
Orlando, Florida
Adjunct Professor
Graduate Studies in Counseling Program
Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida
burt@burtbertram.com

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Program Abstract Almost nothing seems to make otherwise stable and reasonable people suffer from "temporary insanity" like an adversarial divorce and child custody proceeding. Counselors are oftern involved either in a forensic capacity (conducting formal child custody evaluations) or in a clinical capacity (treating the family, one or more of the children, or one of the parents). In a highly charged emotional environment, the potential is high that the counselor may become drawn into the adversarial process and inadvertently engage in questionable professional behavior. Fear and frustration can often be the overriding emotion for one or both parents. In that environment, counselors can very quickly find themselves on the receiving end of ethical, regulatory, or legal complaints. The presenters will identify counselor behaviors and clinical situations that give rise to some of the most frequent legal and ethics complaints and will give suggestions to counselors to heop minimize their risk HANDOUT: PowerPoint: .pdf BOOK: The Counselor and the Law (Order Form)