Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in Telehealth: Ethics and Risk Management Implications

Description

What happens when your client Googles you, sends a Facebook friend request, or finds your personal blog? What if you’re tempted to search for their online presence—or respond to a missed appointment through social media? In this digital age, boundary issues can arise with just one click, and even well-meaning decisions can spiral into serious ethical violations.

As behavioral health care increasingly moves into virtual spaces, clinicians face unprecedented challenges navigating dual relationships, confidentiality, and online interactions. This course offers insight, clarity, and actionable strategies to ensure your practice remains ethical, professional, and legally sound.

Dr. Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D., one of the most respected authorities in behavioral health ethics, leads this training. With decades of experience shaping national ethics codes and technology standards, Dr. Reamer brings a rare depth of knowledge and real-world expertise to help clinicians manage risk and uphold the highest standards of care.

Through carefully chosen case studies and grounded ethical frameworks, Dr. Reamer takes a practical, no-nonsense approach to help you strengthen your boundaries and protect both yourself and your clients in telehealth environments.

This course explores common and complex ethical scenarios, such as responding to online friend requests, managing therapist self-disclosure, dealing with online information-seeking by clients, and maintaining professional boundaries in digital communications. It also addresses regulatory guidelines, ethics-related litigation risks, and how to design protective protocols.

Key Takeaways:

• Recognize online boundary risks: Learn how to spot and avoid ethically risky dual relationships in digital contexts.
• Apply ethical decision-making models: Gain tools to confidently address gray areas in telehealth practice.
• Prevent complaints and litigation: Implement clear, actionable strategies to minimize professional risk and protect client welfare.

Why this course?

• Taught by a national ethics leader: Dr. Reamer chaired the task forces that developed both the NASW Code of Ethics and national technology standards.
• Offered by a trusted CE provider: Telehealth Certification Institute is known for delivering high-quality, clinically relevant training that supports your growth and professionalism.
• Addresses real-world challenges: This course isn’t theoretical—it equips you with practical solutions to the complex problems clinicians face every day in digital practice.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify boundary and dual relationship issues associated with telehealth.
• Apply relevant ethics, regulatory, and practice standards to manage boundary and dual relationship challenges.
• Design and implement protocols to protect clients.
• Design and implement protocols to help prevent ethics-related litigation and licensing board complaints.

This course empowers you with clarity and confidence in the ever-evolving landscape of telehealth ethics. Discover how to protect yourself, your license, and—most importantly—your clients with thoughtful strategies grounded in ethical best practices.

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Format and Access

This is a non-interactive self-study course. Instruction consists of 3.5 hours of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Dr. Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D.

Frederic Reamer is professor in the graduate program, 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.  Dr. Reamer instructor information

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor(s) for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 3.5 ethics 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 your licensing board would accept this course.

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 marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

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 3.5 ethics 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.

Art Therapists: 

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 Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 210 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 non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement