An Expert Witness Weighs in on Therapist Malpractice: An interview with Dr
Curt and Katie interview Dr. Frederic Reamer about his perspective as an expert witness opining on therapist conduct. We talk about the three types of cases he sees (mistakes, challenging decisions, and misconduct) as well as what therapists can do to protect and set themselves up for success.
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An Interview with Dr. Frederic Reamer
Frederic G. Reamer has been on the faculty of the School of Social Work, Rhode Island College since 1983. His teaching and research focus on professional ethics, criminal justice, mental health, health care, and public policy. Dr. Reamer received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He chaired the national task force that wrote the Code of Ethics adopted by the National Association of Social Workers in 1996 and served on the code revision task force. Dr. Reamer also chaired the national task force sponsored by NASW, the Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, and Clinical Social Work Association that developed standards governing social workers’ use of technology in professional practice.
Dr. Reamer serves as associate editor of the Encyclopedia of Social Work and served as editor of the Journal of Social Work Education. He also served on the State of Rhode Island Parole Board for 24 years.
Dr. Reamer has lectured nationally and internationally on social work and professional ethics, including in India, China, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and in various European nations. His books include Risk Management in the Behavioral Health Professions; Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in the Human Services; Social Work Values and Ethics; The Philosophical Foundations of Social Work; Heinous Crime: Cases, Causes and Consequences; Criminal Lessons: Case Studies and Commentary on Crime and Justice; On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Justice, Redemption, and Justice; Risk Management in Social Work; The Social Work Ethics Casebook; Ethical Standards in Social Work; Ethics and Risk Management in Online and Distance Social Work; Moral Distress and Injury in Human Services; Teens in Crisis: How the Industry Serving Struggling Teens Helps and Hurts our Kids; and The Social Work Ethics Audit, among others. Dr. Reamer serves as an expert witness in many court and licensing board cases throughout the United States.
In this podcast episode, we share an expert witness perspective on therapist mistakes
Curt and Katie talk with Dr. Frederic Reamer about how therapists can get in trouble as well as what an expert witness does when evaluating these therapist mistakes.
What do Expert Witnesses do for cases involving therapists?
Evaluate malpractice and standard of care
Opine on whether therapists have acted appropriately in their role as professionals
Reviewing records, reports, depositions, and testifying on trial
What are the different types of cases that are brought against therapists?
Good people making mistakes
Challenging ethical dilemmas (i.e., making a decision that is not wrong, but leads to a bad outcome)
Misconduct (e.g., having sex with clients, inappropriate dual relationships, impaired therapists)
How can therapists set themselves up to avoid getting sued or licensing board complaints?
Appropriate documentation
Consultation with colleagues or supervisors (and document this consultation)
Have sufficient malpractice insurance
Who we are:
Curt Widhalm, LMFT
www.curtwidhalm.com
Katie Vernoy, LMFT
www.katievernoy.com
A Quick Note:
Our opinions are our own. We are only speaking for ourselves - except when we speak for each other, or over each other. We’re working on it.
Our guests are also only speaking for themselves and have their own opinions. We aren’t trying to take their voice, and no one speaks for us either. Mostly because they don’t want to, but hey.
Пікірлер: 2
Such an important topic. What incredible advice. *Every* ‘therapist’ needs to listen to this and it should be compulsory listening for students. I’m an RN, now studying a Masters to be s psychotherapist. The most important book I read at uni when studying in Australia to be an RN was ‘ Nursing and the Law’ by Patricia Staunton. It’s about the Australian environment and may be out of print now but I learned how vital it was to think legally st all times in my work and especially when making clinical decisions and when documenting. I always wrote detailed notes even as colleagues wrote ‘no change’.for similar shift scenarios. The thought “how will this look in a legal case in 2 years?” kept me focused for years. I hope to include the same practice principles in my clinical role as a therapist in the future. So I particularly appreciated listening to your guest talking about the same principles. Although we have a different regulatory and legal environment in Australia, the principles discussed in this podcast still resonate. Thanks so much to your guest. What an incredibly important job he does (and has) and what a great service he provides. I believe it would be very challenging work but I hope it’s also rewarding to him. Thanks again for an excellent podcast. I’ll listen to some more!
An expert witness huh? Not sure if you know this about our court system but expert Witnesses are purchased by both sides and essentially an expert comes up with whatever the hell you need them to say on the stand. He's going to have to do a lot better if he wants any credibility in my eyes. Especially since those expert Witnesses don't necessarily work for free, or for cheap those bastards cost thousands of dollars.