This webinar will give attendees the knowledge to evaluate whether and how to report that a client is a risk to himself or others without violating HIPAA, 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (regulating substance abuse treatment information) and other state and federal confidentiality laws. It will provide a methodology to do so, including a worksheet to fill out in such situations which will go a long way to ensuring a correct decision while at the same time minimizing any adverse legal consequences.

With the recent shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida, the debate on the prevalence of mental health in public mass shootings has identified. Much Press coverage has focused on the failure of many entities to take effective action to prevent these deaths and serious injuries. Such practices face great potential liability both for reporting improperly (e.g., breach or confidentiality lawsuit) or for failing to report (e.g. lawsuit for wrongful death). And the decision whether to report is not an easy one. Attendees will have the knowledge of whether and how to disclose health information to prevent or mitigate the harm of violence against a named individual or the public in general. Attendees will have a methodology to make those determinations, document them, and protect themselves from liability in such situations. Besides learning all the points covered above, attendees will also receive a checklist to follow to document such incidents and their outcomes.