(CO610) Chapter 6 - Quiz Flashcards
Confidentiality: Ethical and Legal Issues
To safeguard privacy and security when using email, therapists should:
a. email clients on a public computer if needed.
b. remember that clients are forbidden from sharing those emails.
c. do so anonymously, using a virtual private network (VPN).
d. consider including a confidentiality disclaimer notice.
d. consider including a confidentiality disclaimer notice.
Practitioners may be legally liable for:
a. failing to provide information about violent clients to anyone who asks.
b. failing to render perfect predictions about client violence.
c. failing to warn potential victims of violent behavior.
d. failing to prevent a client from threatening violence.
c. failing to warn potential victims of violent behavior.
Joe’s wife expressed fear that her husband, who had a long and well-documented history of domestic violence, would eventually kill her. Joe agreed to a psychiatric evaluation, and it was determined that he wasn’t dangerous. Joe beat his wife again and was brought to another hospital for evaluation. Joe was released after a brief interview that did not include obtaining his previous medical records. He then promptly went home and killed his wife. Joe’s second therapist may be liable for malpractice according to which of the following court rulings?
a. Bradley v. Ray
b. Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California
c. Hedlund v. Superior Court of Orange County
d. Jablonski v. United States
d. Jablonski v. United States
Most professional organizations permit exceptions to client confidentiality in situations where:
a. the therapist becomes aware of a serious threat of harm to a specific individual.
b. clients disclose their involvement in academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism.
c. a minor describes to the therapist property crimes committed by their parent.
d. the insurance company refuses to pay claims submitted by the therapist.
a. the therapist becomes aware of a serious threat of harm to a specific individual.
Which of the following generally prohibits the disclosure of confidential communications in a legal proceeding?
a. redaction
b. private communication
c. privileged communication
d. privacy
c. privileged communication
In what case did the U.S. Supreme Court rule that communications between licensed psychotherapists and their clients in the course of diagnosis or treatment are privileged?
a. Bertram v. Wheeler
b. Cooper v. Hofstadter
c. Smithfield v. Tanaka
d. Jaffee v. Redmond
d. Jaffee v. Redmond
Sian, a licensed counselor who works with people with severe anxiety disorders, wants to use Zoom to provide therapy to clients who are terrified to leave their homes. Assuming she is careful to be certain both she and the client are in private spaces at the time of the sessions, is this ethically permissible?
a. No, because it will reinforce the clients’ fears of going out.
b. Yes, because insurance companies favor this approach.
c. Yes, because Zoom is compliant with Advanced Encryption Standards.
d. No, because not everyone has Internet access.
c. Yes, because Zoom is compliant with Advanced Encryption Standards.
Jolene lives and practices counseling in a small community where the likelihood of running into clients at the grocery store and other local businesses is high. As an ethical practitioner, Jolene should:
a. move out of town, even if it results in a very long commute to work.
b. be very friendly during chance encounters.
c. move her practice out of town.
d. be proactive and discuss how clients would like her to handle chance encounters.
d. be proactive and discuss how clients would like her to handle chance encounters.
Which of the following statements is true regarding telephone-delivered treatment?
a. Mental health practitioners must exercise caution when discussing confidential or privileged information with anyone over the telephone.
b. Experts recommend using cell phones rather than landlines to ensure greater privacy and confidentiality for clients.
c. Client satisfaction with telephone-delivered treatment tends to be rated as “low.”
d. This form of psychotherapy has proven to be particularly effective with clients who have low motivation for therapy.
a. Mental health practitioners must exercise caution when discussing confidential or privileged information with anyone over the telephone.
If a practitioner is a licensed psychologist, the legal concept of privileged communication applies to:
a. group therapy.
b. couples therapy.
c. family therapy.
d. individual therapy.
d. individual therapy.
At a minimum, a safety plan should include which of the following?
a. the therapist’s private phone and email information
b. safe, alternative behaviors that do not involve violence
c. agreed-on punishments for failure to comply
d. the specific law the person is thinking of violating
b. safe, alternative behaviors that do not involve violence
Which statement about the reporting of abuse of older adults is accurate?
a. Reporting is mandatory in all states.
b. Reporting is mandatory in some states and discretionary in others.
c. Reporting is not permissible in nearly half of all states.
d. Reporting is discretionary in all states.
b. Reporting is mandatory in some states and discretionary in others.
HIPAA regulations require that practitioners who are covered by HIPAA provide potential clients with an explanation of:
a. how health information is used, disclosed, and stored.
b. how therapy will work in their particular case.
c. how their insurance company will determine if they are covered.
d. how the therapist will make choices about treatment options.
a. how health information is used, disclosed, and stored.
When assessing clients with severe depression for suicidal risk, helping professionals should:
a. identify client risk factors, warning signs, and protective factors that can work to mitigate the risk.
b. avoid being too direct in asking questions pertaining to their suicidal thoughts.
c. make teaching clients self-care strategies, such as yoga poses or deep breathing techniques, their first priority.
d. focus on trying to cheer them up and embrace their sense of humor.
a. identify client risk factors, warning signs, and protective factors that can work to mitigate the risk.
Which of the following statements is true if a psychiatrist works in both a hospital subject to HIPAA regulations and in a private practice not associated with the hospital that does not utilize electronic transactions?
a. The psychiatrist’s practice would be subject to HIPAA regulations for patients seen at the hospital, but not for private practice patients.
b. The psychiatrist would become exempt from HIPAA regulations at the hospital by simply signing a waiver and accepting a lower fee for their services.
c. The psychiatrist should probably build up their private practice and leave the hospital position so as to avoid HIPAA issues altogether.
d. All of the psychiatrist’s clinical activities, regardless of setting, would be subject to HIPAA regulations.
a. The psychiatrist’s practice would be subject to HIPAA regulations for patients seen at the hospital, but not for private practice patients.
