Course Description

This course provides foundational instruction on documentation in mental health care. Topics include legal and ethical requirements for documentation, common components of client files, and avoiding common documentation mistakes. 

This course does not provide continuing education (CE) credit. Recorded video format

Course Outline

1. Introduction

2. Legal and Ethical Context 

3. Typical Components

4. General Principles

5. Common Mistakes

User Reviews

Excellent! I highly recommend for all clinicians

Sara Silvia

A lot of important information was covered concisely and effectively. It was a very effective primer. It is giving me cause to reflect on my current practices. I will use what I learned and implement immediately.

A lot of important information was covered concisely and effectively. It was a very effective primer. It is giving me cause to reflect on my current practices. I will use what I learned and implement immediately.

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Solid content

Debbie Stanley

I found this course more substantive than typical 1-credit CEUs.

I found this course more substantive than typical 1-credit CEUs.

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Awesome Presentation

Andrea Levitan

Enjoyed the content!

Enjoyed the content!

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Excellent and very clear

Katherine Jupp

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Instructor

Benjamin Caldwell, PsyD, LMFT

Benjamin Caldwell, PsyD is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (#42723). He currently serves as adjunct faculty for California State University Northridge in Los Angeles. He has taught at the graduate level for more than 15 years, primarily in Law and Ethics, and has written and trained extensively on ethical applications in mental health care. In addition to serving a three-year term on the AAMFT Ethics Committee, Dr. Caldwell served as the Chair of the Legislative and Advocacy Committee for AAMFT-California for 10 years. He served as Editor for the Users Guide to the 2015 AAMFT Code of Ethics, Chair of the workgroup that developed Best Practices in the Online Practice of Couple and Family Therapy, and author of several books, including Saving Psychotherapy and Basics of California Law for LMFTs, LPCCs, and LCSWs.

In his teaching and books, Dr. Caldwell discusses legal, ethical, and practical considerations in the documentation of mental health care.

Additional Information

Format and Length:

Recorded video format (non-interactive). Total running time 64 minutes.

Who Should Attend:

Counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and substance abuse counselors.

Publication and Review Dates:

Course Published: December 5, 2018
Course Revised: September 8, 2020 

Financial Support Statement:

SimplePractice pays course presenters for their teaching. There is no other financial support for this course.

Refund Policy:

Click here to see our policies on attendance, refunds, grievances, and accessibility, and other frequently asked questions.

No Continuing Education credit:

This course does not provide continuing education (CE) credit.