COVID-19 & Private Practice: Minimizing Risk for Mental Health Practitioners (with Webinar Recording)

The current COVID-19 pandemic has many practitioners feeling concerned and even overwhelmed regarding how to ensure their own safety, as well as the safety of staff and clients, as they consider or have already returned to in-person sessions. Informed consent is one part of the process with the need to provide this in an ethical and legally appropriate manner.

This intermediate course (text-based only, no audio or video) is designed for clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, and other mental health professionals working in small or independently operated practice settings. The course proposes best practice guidelines based on the medical information from the CDC and the WHO and professional practice organizations such as the APA and the CSWA. Information from these multiple resources is summarized and adapted for application to practitioners providing mental health services. The course covers three topics in planning related to (1) hygiene and safety practices to reduce risk of transmission in private practice settings, (2) how to implement a basic screening process for incoming patients/clients, and (3) how to develop an updated informed consent form that addresses your office’s COVID-19 safety practices.

Included in this course are an Informed Consent Addendum for In-person Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic form (adult and child), to be used as an addendum to your existing informed consent forms, AND a COVID-19 screening questionnaire. Each form is designed to be edited and customized to reflect the specific policies of each clinician. Also included is the recording from July 29, 2020 Webinar: COVID-19 & Private Practice.