California LCSW Law & Ethics Exam 2025
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
During the initial session, the client mentions that she has been hospitalized several
times for "severe depression". The client becomes tense and guarded when the therapist
attempts to explore the hospitalizations, saying that "it's in the past": She also states
adamantly that she won't give permission to get those records. The therapist should
FIRST:
A. Assess her current level of depression.
B. Reassure her that the focus will be on the present.
C. Acknowledge her right to decide about releasing her records.
D. Explore her resistance to sharing her records. - ✔✔C. Acknowledge her right to
decide about releasing her records.
Obtaining informed consent from clients is:
A. Legal but not ethical
B. Ethical but not legal.
C. Both legal and ethical
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,D. Neither legal nor ethical - ✔✔C. Both legal and ethical
A 72-year-old elderly widower is brought for an evaluation to a clinic by his daughters,
both of whom live an hour away from where he still resides in the family home. The
daughters are concerned that there is "no one to look after Dad." When they came to
visit him, they found the house in complete disarray: full trashcans, sink overflowing
with dirty dishes, clogged toilet, and no clean clothes. The neurological and mental
status exam reveals no dementia. The man is ambulatory although a cane is
recommended. The daughters want to place him in an assisted living facility, but the
father is adamantly opposed and wants to stay in his home. The therapist's course of
action is to:
A. request a follow-up appointment with the father and make an adult protective
services report regarding abandonment.
B. discuss with the daughters the possibility of applying for legal guardianship of their
father.
C. respect the client's - ✔✔C. respect the client's right to self-determination and arrange
for an in-home evaluation.
When developing a private practice a therapist should consider all of the following to
ensure continuity of care, except:
A. Informing clients of procedures in case of emergencies.
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,B. Developing a professional will.
C. Developing alternative resources in case of therapist absences.
D. Providing clients with three additional referrals at onset of therapy. - ✔✔D.
Providing clients with three additional referrals at onset of therapy.
A therapist, who was formerly employed as a financial planner, now treats couples with
relationship issues. Occasionally, the therapist will assist a couple he is treating with
financial planning when that is one of the sources of their conflict. The therapist's
behavior is:
A. Acceptable because he has the training.
B. Acceptable because it aligns with treatment goals.
C. Unacceptable because it is outside his scope of practice.
D. Unacceptable because it is outside his scope of competence. - ✔✔C. Unacceptable
because it is outside his scope of practice.
A therapist has been treating a woman for depression in private practice for four
months. During an emotional session the client discloses that she was sexually molested
when she was eight by her neighbor. The therapist has minimal training in treating
childhood sexual abuse. The therapist should:
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, A. Inform the client of the limitations of the therapist's training.
B. Seek consultation immediately.
C. Refer the client to a therapist trained in child sexual abuse.
D. Provide client with psychoeducation about the link between sexual abuse and
depression. - ✔✔B. Seek consultation immediately.
A therapist has been treating a client with Generalized Anxiety Disorder for five
months. The client's symptoms have disappeared and the client is functioning well. The
therapist enjoys the sessions with the client so she has been reluctant to bring up
termination. Also, the client pays full fee and the therapist is worried about losing the
income. The therapist's behavior is:
A. Acceptable because the client is benefiting from the treatment.
B. Illegal.
C. Illegal and unethical.
D. Unethical. - ✔✔D. Unethical.
A therapist receives a court order to testify in a hearing for a client accused of child
abuse. The therapist should FIRST:
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Questions and Answers 100% Pass
During the initial session, the client mentions that she has been hospitalized several
times for "severe depression". The client becomes tense and guarded when the therapist
attempts to explore the hospitalizations, saying that "it's in the past": She also states
adamantly that she won't give permission to get those records. The therapist should
FIRST:
A. Assess her current level of depression.
B. Reassure her that the focus will be on the present.
C. Acknowledge her right to decide about releasing her records.
D. Explore her resistance to sharing her records. - ✔✔C. Acknowledge her right to
decide about releasing her records.
Obtaining informed consent from clients is:
A. Legal but not ethical
B. Ethical but not legal.
C. Both legal and ethical
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,D. Neither legal nor ethical - ✔✔C. Both legal and ethical
A 72-year-old elderly widower is brought for an evaluation to a clinic by his daughters,
both of whom live an hour away from where he still resides in the family home. The
daughters are concerned that there is "no one to look after Dad." When they came to
visit him, they found the house in complete disarray: full trashcans, sink overflowing
with dirty dishes, clogged toilet, and no clean clothes. The neurological and mental
status exam reveals no dementia. The man is ambulatory although a cane is
recommended. The daughters want to place him in an assisted living facility, but the
father is adamantly opposed and wants to stay in his home. The therapist's course of
action is to:
A. request a follow-up appointment with the father and make an adult protective
services report regarding abandonment.
B. discuss with the daughters the possibility of applying for legal guardianship of their
father.
C. respect the client's - ✔✔C. respect the client's right to self-determination and arrange
for an in-home evaluation.
When developing a private practice a therapist should consider all of the following to
ensure continuity of care, except:
A. Informing clients of procedures in case of emergencies.
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,B. Developing a professional will.
C. Developing alternative resources in case of therapist absences.
D. Providing clients with three additional referrals at onset of therapy. - ✔✔D.
Providing clients with three additional referrals at onset of therapy.
A therapist, who was formerly employed as a financial planner, now treats couples with
relationship issues. Occasionally, the therapist will assist a couple he is treating with
financial planning when that is one of the sources of their conflict. The therapist's
behavior is:
A. Acceptable because he has the training.
B. Acceptable because it aligns with treatment goals.
C. Unacceptable because it is outside his scope of practice.
D. Unacceptable because it is outside his scope of competence. - ✔✔C. Unacceptable
because it is outside his scope of practice.
A therapist has been treating a woman for depression in private practice for four
months. During an emotional session the client discloses that she was sexually molested
when she was eight by her neighbor. The therapist has minimal training in treating
childhood sexual abuse. The therapist should:
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, A. Inform the client of the limitations of the therapist's training.
B. Seek consultation immediately.
C. Refer the client to a therapist trained in child sexual abuse.
D. Provide client with psychoeducation about the link between sexual abuse and
depression. - ✔✔B. Seek consultation immediately.
A therapist has been treating a client with Generalized Anxiety Disorder for five
months. The client's symptoms have disappeared and the client is functioning well. The
therapist enjoys the sessions with the client so she has been reluctant to bring up
termination. Also, the client pays full fee and the therapist is worried about losing the
income. The therapist's behavior is:
A. Acceptable because the client is benefiting from the treatment.
B. Illegal.
C. Illegal and unethical.
D. Unethical. - ✔✔D. Unethical.
A therapist receives a court order to testify in a hearing for a client accused of child
abuse. The therapist should FIRST:
COPYRIGHT © 2025 BY GRACE AMELIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
