Preparing for the Worst: Continuity of Care in the Event of Retirement, Death, or Disability

Is your practice prepared to be closed in the event of an emergency, disaster, illness, death, or retirement? The business aspects of any health care practice can be challenging, especially as health care workers are often busy caring for and meeting the needs of others. Although emergency planning is considered an ethical requirement of any health care practice, it is sometimes overlooked. This can become a source of great frustration for those who are left sorting out the details, which may include contacting clients, billing, or accessing electronic health records or other computer systems. However, creating and implementing a solid emergency plan can help health care practitioners avoid frustration and ensure continuity of care for their clients.

This continuing education web conference is designed for all mental health professionals who work directly with clients and wish to comply with their code of ethics. The presentation will focus on the who, what, where, why, and how of creating a transition plan. More than just a professional will, a transition plan takes into account any reason that might cause therapists to be unable to continue seeing their clients. This could be due to death of a family member, extended illness, disability, moving out of state, retirement, or any number of other reasons. An effective transition plan must include all of the information necessary for another qualified professional to ensure continuity of care for one's clients.

This presentation will teach clinicians how to construct an emergency transition plan, ensuring that their clients are cared for no matter what circumstances arise. Also discussed will be the process of identifying an emergency response team--a group of people who will take over for a clinician should the need arise.

This intermediate instructional level web conference is designed to help clinicians:

1. Describe the reasons that codes of ethics and HIPAA require that contingency plans be in place to ensure continuity of care for clients.
2. Explain why a professional will alone is not sufficient for ensuring continuity of care.
3. Outline types of information that needs to be included in an emergency transition plan.
4. List the steps required to create an emergency transition plan, including but not limited to identification of an emergency response team, documentation of essential data, creation of contact letters/voicemail scripts, and more.

If you have questions or concerns about this continuing education web conference, please contact us here.

Event Reviews from Members

The excellent comments shared between Rob and Nancy clarified and added even more insights and information. - Kathleen M. Oades-Kelly, MS, LPC, NCC

A good balance between a clinical and legal point of view; offered credibility to the presentation. - Penny K. Durban, LPC

Continuing Education (CE) Information

Two CE credits will be provided by GoodTherapy.org for attending this web conference in its entirety. GoodTherapy.org is also an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within counseling services.

GoodTherapy.org is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy.org is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. GoodTherapy.org maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

GoodTherapy.org, SW CPE 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 #0395.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost, as well as other member benefits such as a profile listing in GoodTherapy's Therapist Directory. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

Just want CE credits? Sign up for a monthly or annual CE Subscription with GoodTherapy to get unlimited access to our CE Program, including this event, other live CE web conferences, and hundreds of hours of homestudy courses.

Mental health professionals who are not members can access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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