Springer Publishing Co Legal Self Defense For Mental

"It is difficult to find books that provide such a wealth of information on legal issues for practicing clinicians. This is a solidly written, invaluable resource that all practicing mental health professionals must read." Score: 97, 5 Stars.--Doody's Medical Reviews ""Legal Self-Defense for Mental Health Practitioners" is interesting, informative, and committed to professional, ethical quality care of service recipients....Woody offers many useful risk management strategies for mental health professionals....[and his] discussions are provocative and are supported by current, well-established references."--PsycCRITIQUES "I give high marks to "Legal Self-Defense for Mental Health Practitioners" because it presents a real-world perspective and no-nonsense analysis....As impressive, is that this valuable information is packed into a mere 153 pages, making the book an economical investment of time for the knowledge that is gained."--New England Psychologist At some point in their careers, mental health professionals may face legal action from clients. Clients may be noncompliant regarding policies agreed upon at the outset of therapeutic services, not adhere to an individualized treatment plan, be inappropriately aggressive, and file unjustified ethics and licensing complaints and/or lawsuits. Unfortunately, many mental health practitioners are not prepared for such actions and suffer great distress that affects their professional and personal lives. This practical text, written by an author who is both a psychologist and an attorney, demonstrates how mental health professionals can avoid legally actionable mistakes in their practices and what to do if they occur. Reflecting contemporary social policy and laws regarding mental health services, the text emphasizes the protection of rights for both practitioner and client, and addresses such pitfalls as malpractice, licensing hearings, noncompliant clients, and dealing with the legal system. It distills the author's wisdo