CEU Course Title:
Ethics When Working with the Death of a Client Served
Course Description:
The death of a client can present profound ethical, emotional, and professional challenges for mental health social workers. This CEU course explores the critical ethical considerations that arise when a client passes away—whether expected or sudden. Participants will examine boundaries, confidentiality, professional responsibilities, and emotional self-care through the lens of the NASW Code of Ethics and Texas licensing standards. This course encourages thoughtful dialogue, reflection, and growth to better equip professionals in navigating client loss with integrity, compassion, and ethical clarity.
Course Goals:
- To increase ethical competence and confidence when dealing with the death of a client
- To understand the legal and ethical duties that remain after a client's death
- To identify healthy professional boundaries and self-care strategies during bereavement
- To apply ethical decision-making models to real-world scenarios involving client death
Course Outline:
- Introduction to Ethics and Client Death
- Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Post-Mortem
- Boundaries, Dual Relationships, and Professionalism After Loss
- Confidentiality and Disclosure: What Changes After Death?
- Navigating Your Emotional Response While Upholding Ethics
- Applying Ethical Frameworks to Complex Situations
- Case Studies and Group Discussion
- Resources for Ethical Practice and Support
CEU Learning Objectives:
After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Identify and interpret ethical guidelines relevant to client death, including confidentiality and duty to report
- Describe appropriate professional boundaries and responses following the death of a client
- Apply ethical decision-making models to real-life situations involving deceased clients
- Recognize the emotional impact of client loss and integrate ethical self-care strategies
- Discuss legal considerations and documentation responsibilities after a client's death
