Moral Injury and Harm in the Behavioral Health Professions
Join us for a Live Webinar
3 CE hours available for behavioral health clinicians
April 25, 2025, from 1 pm - 4:20 pm EDT
Moral distress and injury can cast a long shadow over behavioral health professionals, sometimes leading even the most dedicated practitioners to consider leaving the field. This course shines a light on how deeply held values, when violated, can create profound emotional turmoil—and shows you a pathway to renewed hope and resilience.
The concepts of moral harm and demoralization can feel daunting, yet there are proven strategies for recognizing warning signs, safeguarding your well-being, and advocating for meaningful change. You are warmly invited to explore how this training can offer practical solutions to enhance your professional life.
Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D., brings expertise to this topic as a professor in the graduate program of the School of Social Work at Rhode Island College. His extensive work on professional ethics, criminal justice, and behavioral health policy provides a solid foundation for understanding moral distress and injury. With decades of research and hands-on experience in mental health settings, Dr. Reamer is uniquely qualified to guide you toward the course’s learning objectives.
Dr. Reamer’s teaching approach blends real-world case examples with evidence-based methods, ensuring that theoretical frameworks translate into actionable strategies. By examining moral injury through a legal and ethical lens, you’ll learn proactive ways to prevent harm while strengthening your own resilience. Taking this course will equip you with the tools to address moral distress both within yourself and throughout the wider behavioral health community.
Instructor
Frederic Reamer is a professor in the graduate program at the School of Social Work, Rhode Island College, where he has been on the faculty 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 the National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, and Clinical Social Work Association that developed technology standards for the profession. 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 Social Work Values and Ethics; Risk Management in Social Work; The Social Work Ethics Casebook; Ethical Standards in Social Work; Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in the Human Services; Ethics and Risk Management in Online and Distance Behavioral Health; Moral Distress and Injury in Human Services; and The Social Work Ethics Audit, among others. Dr. Reamer has served as an expert witness in many court and licensing board cases throughout the United States. Read more about Dr. Reamer here.
Key Takeaways:
- Recognize moral distress: Gain insight into the symptoms and manifestations that compromise mental well-being.
- Strengthen resilience: Learn cutting-edge strategies and protocols to protect yourself and your clients from harm.
- Become an advocate: Discover how to leverage moral courage to influence organizational and policy changes.
Why this course?
- Expert guidance: Dr. Reamer’s leadership in shaping national ethical standards positions this training as unparalleled in depth and credibility.
- Practical focus: Telehealth Certification Institute’s commitment to excellence ensures you receive solutions that are immediately applicable in your professional practice.
- Holistic perspective: Our values of wellness, kindness, and collaboration underscore a supportive learning environment that addresses every facet of moral injury.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify common symptoms and manifestations of moral distress and injury in behavioral healthcare.
- Design state-of-the-art strategies to address moral distress and injury.
- Develop protocols to promote prevention, self-care, and resilience.
- Implement strategies to advocate for organizational and policy changes to prevent harm.
Moral distress and injury need not be career-ending. Through this immersive course, you’ll find both the professional and personal support necessary to fortify your practice. We hope you’ll join us as we journey toward a brighter, more resilient future in behavioral health.
Credit Hours: CEs provided with this live webinar include 3 continuing education hours of credit.
Counselors: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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-0048.
Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if this course would be accepted by your licensing board.
Social Workers: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, 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: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.
Telehealth Certification Institute LLC 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-0435.
Addiction Professionals: This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.
Psychologists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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-0128.
Other Professionals: This activity qualifies for 180 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.
This is a live, interactive online webinar.
Register for the webinar by midnight before the event. So that we can provide you these CEs, you are required to:
- login and access the direct link to the webinar through your account
- participate fully during the event
- complete a post-test and course evaluation at the conclusion of the event
- collect your certificate of completion on your account after steps 1-3 are completed
Enroll in a course by adding it to the cart and proceeding through the check out process. Create an account (or login to yours) during the checkout process.
Prepare: Download Zoom software. Participants must use a device that is connected to adequate internet speed with a camera, microphone and speakers (or headset).
Attend: At least 15 minutes before the start time the day of the event, login to your account on the website. Go to "My Courses", click on the title/date of the webinar. The link to join the meeting/webinar will be listed in the course content.
Attendance is automatically recorded when you use the link to join.
Any recording made of a live event is NOT included with live webinar registration.
When possible, webinars are recorded and converted into online self-study courses, available for separate purchase/enrollment for those who did not attend the live event.