Maintaining Appropriate Professional Boundaries: Exploring Ethical Obligations of Mental Health Professionals, 04/03/2025, Self-Study More info »
Maintaining Appropriate Professional Boundaries: Exploring Ethical Obligations of Mental Health Professionals (Live Online)
Credit Available - See CEs/Contact Hours tab below.
Total Credits: 3 NYSED LMSW & LCSW CEs/Contact Hours, 3 NYSED LMHC CEs/Contact Hours, 3 NYSED LMFT CEs/Contact Hours, 3 NYSED LCAT CEs/Contact Hours, 3 NYSED PSY CEs/Contact Hours, 3 ASWB ACE approved continuing education, 3 UBSW - NYS OASAS, 3 NYSED Required Boundaries & PSY Ethics Laws, Rules, and Regulations
- Average Rating:
- 56
- Categories:
- Boundaries & Ethics | Professional Development | Social Media
- Trainer:
- Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W
- Course Levels:
- Beginning and Intermediate
- Duration:
- 3 hours
- Format:
- Live Online
Description
Live interactive webinar: Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussion by unmuting and directly asking questions or through the chat feature in Zoom.
Mental health professionals are charged with the legal and ethical responsibility to maintain professional boundaries, but the obligation isn’t always so easy to discern. This course brings real-world context to ethical concerns often experienced by professionals in practice in maintaining appropriate professional boundaries. This course will provide a framework to contemplate ethical dilemmas and make informed decisions that insulate professionals from legal liability while protecting clients from harm.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the ethical and legal responsibility of mental health professionals to maintain appropriate professional boundaries with their clients.
- Define dual relationships.
- Apply a framework to avoid dual relationships whenever possible.
- Apply a framework to minimize potential harm to clients and the professional whenever dual relationships are not avoidable.
- Describe how to demonstrate that a client has not been exploited or coerced, intentionally or unintentionally.
Research: Research information about this program can be found on the following websites:
- American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct (2002, amended effective June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/
- American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2014-code-ofethics-finaladdress.pdf
- National Association of Social Workers. (2020). NASW code of ethics. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
- Nordesjö, K., Scaramuzzino, G., & Ulmestig, R. (2022). The social worker-client relationship in the digital era: a configurative literature review. European Journal of Social Work, 25(2), 303-315.
- Reamer, F. G. (2020). Boundary issues and dual relationships in the human services. In Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in the Human Services. Columbia University Press.
Target Audience: social workers, mental health practitioners, creative arts therapists, marriage and facility therapists, psychologists, addiction professionals, case managers, and other interested individuals.
Customer ServiceWe are happy to respond to any concerns or questions you may have. Please contact us at by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
ADA Accommodations: If you require any support for your ADA needs in the United States, please contact us by email at least 3 weeks prior to the event by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or by phone at 716-829-5841.
Registration
Registration open until: 4/2/25
CEs/Contact Hours
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education 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-0001. Continuing education contact hours: 3 Live Online
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education 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-0008. Continuing education contact hours: 3 Live Online
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education 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-0007. Continuing education contact hours: 3 Live Online
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education 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-0003. Continuing education contact hours: 3 Live Online
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education 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-0062. Continuing education contact hours: 3 Live Online
University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education, #1773, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. University at Buffalo School of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 02/23/2022 - 02/23/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 3 continuing education credits.
NYS OASAS Provider #0045: 3 hours for CPP & CPS Initial Hours in Section 1; CASAC, CPP & CPS Renewal Hours.
This course includes 3 content hours that meets the NYSED requirement for boundaries continuing education for social workers (LMSW/LCSW), mental health professionals (LMHC, LMFT, LCAT), and Psychologists (PSY) AND the NYSED requirements for Psychologists (PSY) of coursework in professional ethics, including the laws, rules and regulations for practice in New York State.
Handouts
4.3.25 Boundaries and Ethics Agenda (161.1 KB) | Download |
MAPB-NYS-Krase PPT 3 per page (1.9 MB) | Available after Purchase |
MAPB-NYS-Krase PPT 1 per page (1.9 MB) | Available after Purchase |
4.3.25 Boundaries and Ethics References (121.8 KB) | Available after Purchase |
New York State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service | Available after Purchase |
NYSED Enforcement Actions | Available after Purchase |
APA: Practitioner Pointer: Patient referral fees raise red flags | Available after Purchase |
APA: Taking charge of online reviews | Available after Purchase |
Professional Organizations' Codes of Ethics On Bartering in Psychotherapy, Counseling and Mental Health Services | Available after Purchase |
CENTER~1 (105.2 KB) | Available after Purchase |
ipcinformedconsentfortherapy (56.2 KB) | Available after Purchase |
InformedConsentExample (1.1 MB) | Available after Purchase |
Trainer

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W Related Seminars and Products
Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant, is an expert on the professional ethics, and the intersection of ethics with legal responsibilities. She has years of experience consulting with government and community based organizations to develop policy & practice standards.
Equipment Requirements
Required Hardware
- A computer (desktop/laptop) or mobile device (smartphone/tablet).
- Speakers/headphones/earbuds OR access to a phone to call in to the Zoom room.
Strongly Encouraged Hardware
- Webcam or mobile device with a camera for interacting in course activities.
Internet Connection
- A stable Internet connection of 56K or greater is required. (However, please note that a 56K connection may degrade the quality of your experience.)
Any questions about these requirements or other technical questions can be directed to sw-ce@buffalo.edu.
Online Course Access
Upon successful registration of the course you will be able to access the course materials.
How do I test my system / access the online training?
To access the program, please log into your account. Please plan to log in 10 minutes prior to the start time. Click on the Launch Webinar button next to the program title. You will enter the room with your microphone muted and your camera off. For the best experience, please leave these settings as is unless instructed otherwise.
How do I access the course materials
To download course materials, log into your account. Under the course name click on the blue Handouts button.
For some trainings, the course handouts may not be available until the morning of the program.
Completion Requirements
No partial credit is given for partial attendance.
Live Online Completion Requirements
In order to receive a certificate of completion for this course participants must complete the following.
Please note all requirements can be found in your UBCE21 portal.
- Attend the entire course. Zoom attendance is used to verify viewing requirements. Zoom can take up to 48 hours to confirm attendance. Participation in small group activities is required.
- Respond and participate in at least 75% of the poll questions.
- After the training, complete the evaluation by clicking on the "Evaluation and Certificate" button for this course.
The certificate of completion will be immediately generated in your account upon completion of all course requirements. Certificates may be downloaded, printed, or left in your account.
Agenda
Program Agenda (3 hours/180 minutes, 9am-12pm)
Introductions (9:00-9:05)
Revisiting Ethics in Professional Practice (9:05-9:35)
Professional education introduces future practitioners to relevant Codes of Ethics. This portion of the program will revisit what professionals should already know about ethics, so that we are all on the same page as we explore further. What do we mean by “ethical”? How is “ethical” related to “legal”?
Understanding Professional Boundaries (9:35-10:20)
Working closely with clients can challenge the boundaries of professionalism, but setting and maintaining boundaries is important both personally, and professionally. This portion of the program will explore guidance from ethical codes on how to define appropriate boundaries with clients, highlighting the obligations of mental health professionals.
Drawing the Lines (10:20-30 (break) 10:30-11:25)
Using case examples, this portion of the program will explore various types of relationships between professional and client that can make maintaining professional boundaries complicated.
- Physical Contact with Clients
- Conflict of interests
- Dual Relationships
- Family Relationships
- Sexual Relationships
- Other Relationships
- Complicated Financial Interactions
- Bartering for services
- Other financial interactions
Protecting Yourself from Ethical & Legal Liability (11:25-11:50)
This section will outline the framework that professionals can use to prevent ethical conundrums, and protect themselves from legal liability when maintaining professional boundaries is most complicated.
Conclusions/Questions (11:50-12:00)
Note: All New York State licensees are responsible for complying with New York State laws, rules and regulations. Learn more at https://www.op.nysed.gov/professions/psychology/lawsrules-regulations
Cancellation and Refund Policy
Cancellation Policy:
Live (In-Person, Online, and Hybrid) Trainings
The cancellation and refund policy below applies to individual courses. If you purchased multiple courses at one time they may be subject to individual processing fees. Participants can make payment or refund inquiries by contacting the Office of Continuing Education by phone 716-829-5844 or by email at sw-ce@buffalo.edu. Standard business hours for the Office of Continuing Education are Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm. Any requests made outside of these days and times will default to the next business day.
Up to 3 CEs/Contact Hours
- Up to 30 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card in the full payment amount OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $15 processing fee
- 29 days to 2 days prior to the training date refund will be issued in the form of (1) a gift card minus a $15 processing fee OR (2) a refund to the original method of payment minus a $25 processing fee
- 24 hours or less prior to the training no gift cards or refunds will be issued
Cancellation of Group Purchases
-
Cancellations of more than 5 staff members will incur the following additional fees:
-
More than 30 days in advance will incur an additional 5% fee.
-
Less than 30 days but more than 15 days in advance will incur an additional 10% fee.
-
Less than 15 days will incur an additional 20% fee.
-
Gift Cards
Gift cards can be used as payment toward future trainings. Gift cards never expire.
Loyalty Reward Points
- Participants who request a refund will forfeit any Loyalty Reward Points they may have received from that purchase.
- Participants who request a refund on a purchase paid for with Loyalty Reward Points will have those rewards credited back to their account within 5 business days of the refund being processed.
Substitute Attendance
If a registered participant is unable to attend a training and would like another individual to attend in their place the Office of Continuing Education must be called or emailed at least one full business day before the training. Substitution decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Check Refund
Any refund requests for a check payment may take up to 4 weeks to process.
UB Cancelled Trainings
- If the Office of Continuing Education cancels a training, participants will be notified via email and refunds will be paid in full.
- Please be aware that if the University at Buffalo is closed trainings and workshops may still be taking place.
- Please contact the Office of Continuing Education at sw-ce@buffalo.edu or 716-829-5841 if you have any questions or concerns regarding whether or not a training is still being held.
Additional questions and support?
Please email sw-ce@buffalo.edu or call 716-829-5841.