Witness? Expert? Party to a Proceeding? Preparing Mental Health Professionals for Legal System Involvement

Description

Navigating the legal system can be intimidating—even more so when you're suddenly involved in a case as a witness, expert, or even a party to the proceeding. For mental health professionals, these moments can feel overwhelming, especially when clients, attorneys, and courts expect you to respond with clarity, confidence, and legal precision.

This course provides essential guidance for clinicians who find themselves entangled in legal matters, offering the knowledge and tools to handle legal system involvement with professionalism, competence, and ethical clarity.

Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., is a nationally recognized expert in the legal and ethical responsibilities of behavioral health professionals. With dual credentials in law and social work, Dr. Krase brings a unique depth of understanding to the intersection of clinical care and court involvement. Her experience consulting with government agencies and community organizations informs every aspect of this course.

In this self-paced online training, Dr. Krase demystifies the courtroom experience, translating complex legal concepts into practical, applicable strategies that clinicians can use immediately. Her approach blends storytelling, legal expertise, ethical clarity, and practical skills—offering a supportive and empowering path through an often daunting topic.

This course covers the structure and process of legal proceedings, different types of law, roles clinicians may play in court (fact witness, expert witness, or party to a proceeding), ethical and legal obligations around documentation and testimony, privilege and confidentiality, responding to subpoenas, and interdisciplinary collaboration with attorneys and court personnel.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarity in Legal Roles: Understand the distinct ways clinicians may be involved in court proceedings and what each role entails.

• Confidence in Communication: Learn how to prepare for and deliver written and oral communication effectively in legal settings.

• Ethical Protection: Gain actionable strategies to protect your clients’ interests while also safeguarding your own professional integrity.

Why This Course?

• Built for Behavioral Health Professionals: Designed specifically for clinicians who need practical tools to navigate legal system involvement, not a law school lecture.

• Led by a Dual-Credentialed Expert: Dr. Krase’s legal and clinical expertise ensures you receive trustworthy, actionable, and nuanced guidance.

• A Course That Supports Your Mission: Offered by the Telehealth Certification Institute, this course aligns with our mission to empower healthcare professionals with continuing education that enhances the quality of care.

Learning Objectives:

• Name the stages of a legal proceeding

• Explain various contexts where mental health professionals can serve as valuable resources for a court proceeding

• Effectively communicate important information within the legal system

• Serve as an ambassador to the legal system for their clients

• Serve as an advocate for their clients within the legal system

Prepare yourself to respond to legal involvement not with fear, but with confidence and clarity. This course helps you protect your clients, uphold ethical standards, and maintain your credibility—all while making your professional life easier when court becomes part of your clinical reality.

Add this course to your cart to begin learning instantly.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course that consists of 180 minutes of video instruction, a post-test and a course evaluation.

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

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 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 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, effective 2/20/2024. 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 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 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