Mandatory Reporting: Ethical and Legal Responsibilities

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Mandatory Reporting: Ethical and Legal Responsibilities (1.5HR)

$27.00

Course Description

Mandatory reporting laws require clinicians to report concerns related to abuse, neglect, or harm, but navigating these obligations can be complex and emotionally challenging. This webinar will provide you with a clear understanding of their ethical and legal responsibilities in mandatory reporting, including recognizing reportable situations, maintaining client trust, and minimizing harm. Through case discussions and practical guidance, you will learn how to balance your duty to protect vulnerable individuals with your commitment to client confidentiality and therapeutic alliance.

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

Identify the key legal and ethical obligations of mandatory reporting, including what constitutes reportable abuse, neglect, and harm.
Describe strategies for discussing mandatory reporting with clients in a way that fosters transparency, trust, and collaboration.
Implement best practices for making reports effectively while minimizing disruption to the therapeutic relationship and ensuring client safety.

Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 Ethics asynchronous continuing education credits.

For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 1.5 hours of Ethics continuing education training.

Course Instructor: Dreya Blume, LCSW

Recording Date: 12/16/2025

Course Format

NBCC ACEP # 7091, CE Training Workshops has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP #7091. Programs that do not qualify are clearly identified. CE Training Workshops is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. CE Training Workshops designates this continuing education activity for 3 continuing education hours.

CE Training Workshops, LLC, #1770, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/02/2025 to 08/02/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 3 Clinical continuing education credits.

Meet Your Facilitator

Dreya Blume, LCSW, has traveled a long and winding road to arrive where she is today,as a therapist, coach, author, and group facilitator.

She has taught English in Thailand, Japan, Australia, and Hawaii. She has worked in psychiatric wards, served as a case manager, and eventually launched her own private therapy practice.

She has taught part-time as an adjunct professor for over twenty years, led multi-day international retreats, and written seventeen books, with an eighteenth on the way.

Syllabus

Introduction

This course examines the legal and ethical responsibilities of mandatory reporting in clinical work. Participants will explore how to recognize reportable situations, communicate transparently with clients, and fulfill reporting duties while maintaining trust, safety, and therapeutic integrity.

Objective 1: Identify Key Legal and Ethical Obligations

Participants will review what constitutes reportable abuse, neglect, and harm, and examine the differences between ethical dilemmas and legal requirements. The course will explore how clinicians can navigate situations where ethical values and legal mandates may appear to conflict.

Objective 2: Discuss Mandatory Reporting With Clients

This section focuses on how to talk with clients about mandatory reporting in ways that promote transparency and collaboration. Participants will learn strategies for initiating these conversations and the critical role of informed consent in setting clear expectations from the start of treatment.

Objective 3: Implement Best Practices for Making Reports

Participants will learn how to complete reports effectively while minimizing disruption to the therapeutic relationship and prioritizing client safety. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of consultation with supervisors or colleagues and maintaining thorough, accurate documentation.

Summary and Q&A

The course concludes with a review of key concepts and an opportunity for reflection and discussion to support ethical and confident application of mandatory reporting responsibilities.