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

Description

This course does not offer CE Credits. The same course is available for purchase and offers 3 CE hours for behavioral health clinicians.  See "related products" below.

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, 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. This continuing education course is designed for licensed behavioral health professionals and provides training in suicide prevention using expressive arts as an integrative approach. However, this is not a creative arts therapy course and does not provide training in creative arts therapy.

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 Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W.
Kathryn Krase, Ph.D., J.D., M.S.W., Principal Consultant with Krase Consultant, is an expert on the professional reporting of suspected child maltreatment. She has authored multiple books and articles on the subject. She has years of experience consulting with government and community based organizations to develop policy & practice standards.

“Making the Tough Call” is a project of Krase Consulting. Kathryn S. Krase is the sole proprietor of both initiatives. Both Making the Tough Call and Krase Consulting are registered entities in New York State. 

Disclosure Statement: 

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

CE Hours

This course does not offer CE credits, just great content.

The same course is available for purchase and offers 3 CE hours for behavioral health clinicians.  See "related products" below.

This course is a non-interactive, online self-study.

Participants may request a printed version of their certificate of completion to be delivered by mail. A shipping/handling fee of $6.95 will be charged per request. Shipping internationally may require an additional charge.

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