Malpractice in Psychology

Book excerpt: Many mental health practitioners fear malpractice suits. Besides obtaining the appropriate insurance, clinicians should understand the risks of lawsuits and implement risk management strategies to avoid unfounded malpractice claims and decrease the likelihood of being sued successfully. With combined expertise in psychotherapy and law, Shapiro and Smith expertly navigate you through the unfamiliar territories of professional liability, negligence, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, HIPAA, defamation, violence and suicide, and trials and settlements. Through its illustrative case examples and up-to-date discussion of law and ethics, this book will help you enrich and protect your professional practice.