This workshop addresses ethical considerations in working with youth – protecting confidentiality while maintaining the ability to discuss important issues with parents and caretakers. It takes rapport and trust in order to counsel youth. Yet, when they think we share information with others, they may withdraw. The question then becomes not “what must I report?” but “how can I act ethically and at the same time build a trusting relationship?”

Questions participants will consider include:

* What legal support is there for maintaining a youth’s confidentiality?
* How important is the principle of privacy and confidentiality in relation to other ethical principles?
* What guidance about working confidentially with youth do various professional ethics codes offer?
* What are some strategies for explaining confidentiality to youth?

Jack Nowicki, LCSW is a program development specialist at TNOYS working with STAR providers to identify and coordinate their technical assistance needs. Jack has over 25 years of experience working with families and youth; including four years in children’s protective services, three years working in psychiatric residential treatment with adolescents and over ten years in a marriage and family private practice. Jack taught the Family Therapy course at the U.T. Graduate School of Social Work for 6 years and now teaches the first upper-division graduate class in Solution-focused Brief Therapy. Jack has co-authored several journal articles on brief counseling with youth and families, has a chapter on SFBT Crisis Intervention in the new Social Work Desk Reference and is currently a consulting editor for Social Work in Education Journal. He has been teaching ethics courses since 2000 and completely revised the curriculum in 2006 to address concerns by providers about talking with youth without parents’ permission.

Cost: $45
.3 CEUs/3 Training Hours

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