LIVE: Ethical and Legal Issues in Correctional Mental Health
November 22, 2024
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Pacific
2 Hours | 2 CEs
$150 Registration | $125 Early Registration (through November 15th) | Live Virtual Training via Zoom
Virginia Barber Rioja, PhD presents a live virtual professional training program on Ethical and Legal Issues in Correctional Mental Health.
The U.S. correctional system provides significant opportunities for clinicians to contribute to the improvement of mental health care in jails and prisons. However, mental health professionals working in correctional settings are continuously exposed to complicated ethical and moral dilemmas. This is particularly true for those who see protecting the human rights of those they work with as an aim of correctional healthcare.
The unique nature of correctional settings requires psychologists to balance the well-being of their patients and the security or safety needs of the institution. Issues of confidentiality, dual loyalty, or placement of people in punitive segregation/restrictive housing are just some examples of areas of correctional practice that raise ethical dilemmas. This training will provide an overview of the ethical and moral dilemmas that arise in the correctional context, it will explain why professional organizations’ ethical guidelines might not be sufficient to inform correctional mental health practice, and it will provide recommendations for minimizing ethical issues and protecting human rights in correctional healthcare.
Program Outline
- Overview of the Training
- Current State of Mental Health Care in Jails and Prisons
- Gain insight into the specific ethical challenges faced by mental health professionals in correctional settings, including issues of confidentiality, dual loyalty, and the treatment of individuals in punitive segregation or restrictive housing.
- Explore why traditional ethical guidelines from professional organizations may not fully address the complexities of correctional mental health practice. Understand the limitations and areas where these guidelines may fall short in guiding ethical decision-making within the correctional context.
- Learn practical recommendations for minimizing ethical issues and protecting human rights while working in correctional healthcare. This includes strategies for balancing patient care with institutional demands and ensuring that ethical considerations are integrated into daily practice.