Duty to Protect: Ethical, Legal, and Professional Considerations for Mental Health Professionals

Psychologists and other mental health professionals rightfully experience significant anxiety regarding their duty to protect when working with potentially dangerous individuals who are at risk of harming others or themselves. In fact, a recent study suggests that 75% are misinformed about their legal duties to such clients. The Duty to Protect dispels myths and provides clinicians, supervisors, and trainers with a comprehensive resource addressing the situations where a duty to protect may apply. The duty itself is defined and described, as are risk assessment steps and interventions to reduce risk. The chapters are written by leading scientist practitioners to promote best practices in some of the most ethically and legally challenging areas encountered by practitioners.