On-Demand CE Training
ODL 391: Ethical Responsibilities in Risk Assessment: Suicide, Homicide, and Duty to Protect
* Some states do not require/accept ethics hours for counselors; for those cases, contact hours will be awarded.
Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure the transferability of CE credit for an asynchronous course. Some state boards may place restrictions regarding the modality of training required for ethics credits to be awarded. If this training indicates ethics credits are available, please verify that your state allows them to be earned through an on-demand course format.
Please note: This on-demand webinar is a replay of a live CE event. The format reflects the original presentation and may include live Q&A, transitions, and intermittent audio/visual fluctuations typical of a live recording.
6 CREDIT HOURS APPROVED FOR:
Social Workers
ASWB ACE – 6 Ethics Continuing Education credits
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work – 6 Contact hours
Psychologists
APA – 6 CE credits
Counselors 6 Contact hours or 6 Ethics hours
NBCC ACEP – 6 Contact hours
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners – 6 Contact hours
Addiction Professionals
NAADAC – 6 Contact hours
Nurses
California Board of Registered Nursing – 6 Contact hours
Case Managers
CCMC – 6 Ethics CE Contact hours
Created On: 2/27/2026
Target Audience:
This course is targeted for social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses and case managers.
Counselor Skill Groups:
1. Clinical Intake and Screening
2. Clinical Assessment
3. Treatment Plan
4. Counseling Services
8. Legal, Ethical and Professional Development
Overview:
Helping professionals frequently encounter situations where clients express suicidal ideation, threats of violence, or risk of harm to others. These circumstances place practitioners at the intersection of ethical principles, legal mandates, and clinical judgment. This training explores the duty to warn and protect, suicide risk management, and homicide risk assessment through the lens of ethics and professional responsibility. Participants will review key legal cases (such as Tarasoff), professional codes of ethics, and the CCMC Standards of Practice. Case studies and applied tools will guide learners in ethically and clinically sound decision-making, enhancing their confidence and competence in supporting clients while upholding responsibilities to the larger community.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:
- Identify state laws, legal precedents (e.g., Tarasoff), and professional codes of ethics, relevant to duty to warn, suicide prevention, and homicide risk assessment.
- Describe ethical principles as they apply to managing client risk.
- Apply structured methods for assessing suicide and homicide risk, incorporating validated tools, warning signs, and contextual factors.
- Evaluate case vignettes to determine ethically appropriate interventions when clients present risks of self-harm or harm to others.
- Demonstrate decision-making skills that balance client rights with societal protection, documenting interventions in accordance with ethical and legal standards.
- Formulate ethically sound risk management and intervention strategies to reduce liability and improve client outcomes.
Presenter:
Diane Bigler, LCSW, LSCSW, owner of Diane Bigler Therapy Services, Inc.
Diane Bigler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Missouri and Kansas. She has over 20 years of experience in the social services field. Diane has held positions as a therapist (in-home and outpatient), private practice owner, trainer/facilitator, clinical supervisor, and professor of social work. She also has experience in corporate wellness training and coaching. Diane is most passionate about providing quality educational training to professionals. She enjoys spoiling her four dachshunds and anything 80s-related.