LAW AND ETHICS - 25 QUESTION PRACTICE QUIZ
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
A new client presents with symptoms including frequent crying spells, insomnia,
hopelessness, weight gain, anhedonia, and thoughts of suicide. The client is different
from the LMFT assessing him in many ways, including age, marital status, parental
status (the client has two children, the LFMT has none) and even hobbies (the client is
involved in sports, while the therapist enjoys knitting). How should the LMFT proceed?
A. Refer the client out based on their demographic differences.
B. Recognize the limitations of their scope of competence and seek out training related
to parents, married clients, and the role of sports in mental health.
C. No action is called for; proceed with assessment and treatment.
D. Review and discuss the clinical implications of all known differences. - Answers - C.
No action is called for; proceed with assessment and treatment
An associate MFT is working for an LMFT in private practice. The Associate is
interested in practicing via telehealth at some point in the future, and has a number of
questions about applicable laws and regulations. The supervisor is not familiar with the
current legal rules surrounding telehealth care. Ethically, the supervisor should:
A. Direct the supervisee to research their specific questions, and report back to the
supervisor on what they find.
B. Seek out a training course on current state laws and regulations for telehealth care,
and inform the associate of what they learned int he course.
C. Discontinue the supervision relationship and refer the associate to a supervisor who
practices via telehealth.
D. Inform the supervisee in writing that it is the supervises sole responsibility to ensure
legal compliance with telehealth rules. - Answers - B. Seek out a training course on
current state laws and regulations for telehealth care, and inform the associate of what
they learned in the course.
After several months of therapy, a client and their MFT decide together that treatment
has been successful and it is time to move toward termination. They have a couple of
sessions focused on carrying the client's gains forward. At what was supposed to be the
final session, the client expresses hesitation, and says that they would rather keep
coming to therapy indefinitely. How can the MFT best manage their ethical responsibility
in this case?
A. Agree to a limited number of additional sessions, and amend the treatment plan.
B. Gradually increase the client's fee as a behavioral nudge toward termination.
C. Agree to continue therapy indefinitely, as long as the client wants it.
, D. Assess whether there is any potential benefit to additional sessions, and if not,
proceed with termination. - Answers - D. Assess whether thera is any potential benefit
to additional sessions, and if not, proceed with termination.
An MFT becomes seriously ill and is hospitalized, with the expectation that the
hospitalization will be long-term. The MFT is suffering serious pain and difficulty with
cognition due to the combination of medications the MFT is being given. The MFT has
an active caseload of about 20 clients, some of whom are at risk for going into crisis and
require regular contact under the circumstances, the MFT should:
A. Conduct telehealth sessions from the MFT's hospital room until the clients can be
transferred.
B. Authorize another qualified clinician to access client records and coordinate
continuity of care.
C. Sell the MFT's practice, including its current active caseload, and inform clients in
writing that as of the sale date, they will be attending sessions with the new practice
owner.
D. Send a letter to each client releasing them from the MFT's case and closing their
cases - Answers - B. Authorize another qualified clinician to access client records and
coordinate continuity of care.
An MFT receives a signed letter from a former client the MFT had discontinued
treatment with six months earlier. The client had serious symptoms, and could not
consistently attend therapy or afford the MFT's fee. The client owes the MFT more than
$500. Now, the client is requesting a copy of their records so that the client can provide
the records to their new therapist. The MFT should:
A. Send the former client an invoice and let them know that they can obtain a copy of
the file once the balance due has been paid.
B. Contact the client's new therapist to collaborate with them on diagnosis and
treatment planning.
C. Provide the client with a copy of the treatment record.
D. Directly provide the new therapist with a copy of the treatment record, as the client
may not pass along the full file to the new therapist - Answers -
An MFT who identifies as gay is working in an agency setting, and conducting an initial
assessment session with a client who also identifies as gay. The client tells the MFT
that he feels very trusting toward the MFT because they are both part of the LGBT
community, so "I know you understand what I've gone through." The client becomes
tearful at several points in the assessment, and on other occasions, the MFT believes
the client is actively flirting with him. The MFT should:
A. Provide the client a copy of the brochure Therapy Never Includes Sexual Behavior.
B. Transfer the client to a different therapist within the agency
C. Understand the client behavior as part of the clinical picture and inquire about trauma
history.
QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
A new client presents with symptoms including frequent crying spells, insomnia,
hopelessness, weight gain, anhedonia, and thoughts of suicide. The client is different
from the LMFT assessing him in many ways, including age, marital status, parental
status (the client has two children, the LFMT has none) and even hobbies (the client is
involved in sports, while the therapist enjoys knitting). How should the LMFT proceed?
A. Refer the client out based on their demographic differences.
B. Recognize the limitations of their scope of competence and seek out training related
to parents, married clients, and the role of sports in mental health.
C. No action is called for; proceed with assessment and treatment.
D. Review and discuss the clinical implications of all known differences. - Answers - C.
No action is called for; proceed with assessment and treatment
An associate MFT is working for an LMFT in private practice. The Associate is
interested in practicing via telehealth at some point in the future, and has a number of
questions about applicable laws and regulations. The supervisor is not familiar with the
current legal rules surrounding telehealth care. Ethically, the supervisor should:
A. Direct the supervisee to research their specific questions, and report back to the
supervisor on what they find.
B. Seek out a training course on current state laws and regulations for telehealth care,
and inform the associate of what they learned int he course.
C. Discontinue the supervision relationship and refer the associate to a supervisor who
practices via telehealth.
D. Inform the supervisee in writing that it is the supervises sole responsibility to ensure
legal compliance with telehealth rules. - Answers - B. Seek out a training course on
current state laws and regulations for telehealth care, and inform the associate of what
they learned in the course.
After several months of therapy, a client and their MFT decide together that treatment
has been successful and it is time to move toward termination. They have a couple of
sessions focused on carrying the client's gains forward. At what was supposed to be the
final session, the client expresses hesitation, and says that they would rather keep
coming to therapy indefinitely. How can the MFT best manage their ethical responsibility
in this case?
A. Agree to a limited number of additional sessions, and amend the treatment plan.
B. Gradually increase the client's fee as a behavioral nudge toward termination.
C. Agree to continue therapy indefinitely, as long as the client wants it.
, D. Assess whether there is any potential benefit to additional sessions, and if not,
proceed with termination. - Answers - D. Assess whether thera is any potential benefit
to additional sessions, and if not, proceed with termination.
An MFT becomes seriously ill and is hospitalized, with the expectation that the
hospitalization will be long-term. The MFT is suffering serious pain and difficulty with
cognition due to the combination of medications the MFT is being given. The MFT has
an active caseload of about 20 clients, some of whom are at risk for going into crisis and
require regular contact under the circumstances, the MFT should:
A. Conduct telehealth sessions from the MFT's hospital room until the clients can be
transferred.
B. Authorize another qualified clinician to access client records and coordinate
continuity of care.
C. Sell the MFT's practice, including its current active caseload, and inform clients in
writing that as of the sale date, they will be attending sessions with the new practice
owner.
D. Send a letter to each client releasing them from the MFT's case and closing their
cases - Answers - B. Authorize another qualified clinician to access client records and
coordinate continuity of care.
An MFT receives a signed letter from a former client the MFT had discontinued
treatment with six months earlier. The client had serious symptoms, and could not
consistently attend therapy or afford the MFT's fee. The client owes the MFT more than
$500. Now, the client is requesting a copy of their records so that the client can provide
the records to their new therapist. The MFT should:
A. Send the former client an invoice and let them know that they can obtain a copy of
the file once the balance due has been paid.
B. Contact the client's new therapist to collaborate with them on diagnosis and
treatment planning.
C. Provide the client with a copy of the treatment record.
D. Directly provide the new therapist with a copy of the treatment record, as the client
may not pass along the full file to the new therapist - Answers -
An MFT who identifies as gay is working in an agency setting, and conducting an initial
assessment session with a client who also identifies as gay. The client tells the MFT
that he feels very trusting toward the MFT because they are both part of the LGBT
community, so "I know you understand what I've gone through." The client becomes
tearful at several points in the assessment, and on other occasions, the MFT believes
the client is actively flirting with him. The MFT should:
A. Provide the client a copy of the brochure Therapy Never Includes Sexual Behavior.
B. Transfer the client to a different therapist within the agency
C. Understand the client behavior as part of the clinical picture and inquire about trauma
history.
