Mental health professionals in private practice strive for clinical and financial success. Yet, there are myriad ethical issues and dilemmas awaiting every practitioner that serve as challenges
to being successful for even the most clinically competent and savvy business persons. Some ethics issues are obvious while others are more subtle and can undermine the best intentions of
practitioners who have not prepared for these challenges. Graduate training programs in the mental health professions offer courses in ethics for their students, but few offer practical
training in the application of ethics to the business of practice. A resource focusing specifically on these challenges has been sorely needed.
The Ethics of Private Practice helps mental health professionals understand the essential ethical issues related to many of the challenges of being in independent mental health
practice. Seasoned clinicians Barnett, Zimmerman, and Walfish offer readers astute insight to help them build a practice that is designed to minimize unintended ethical violations and reduce
associated risks. Each chapter focuses on a major aspect of the business of practice and incorporates relevant standards from the ethics codes of four mental health professions. Topics
addressed include planning one’s private practice, successfully running and managing one’s practice, documentation and record keeping, dealing with third parties and protecting confidentiality,
managing practice finances and making financial decisions, staff training and office policies, advertising and the effective marketing of one’s practice, continuing professional development
activities, and the closing of a private practice. The authors discuss important questions such as: What do you do as a practitioner when your best referral source wants to become your client?
What is appropriate use of social media? How should you respond when a managed care company denies authorization for treatment for a client that you know is in obvious need of further
treatment? Full of practical tips that can be readily implemented, The Ethics of Private Practice is sure to be a handy, go-to resource for mental health clinicians in private
practice.
