Client Welfare

PURPOSE: This rule provides the ethical standards governing the practice of marital and family therapy and the client. (1) Before beginning individual or group therapy, the therapist shall explain the following elements of informed consent: (A) Goals of the therapeutic relationship; (B) Services the therapist will provide; (C) Behavior expected of the client or group; (D) Risks and benefits of therapeutic procedures; (E) Therapist’s qualifications and credentials; (F) Financial consideration and arrangements; (G) Limits to confidentiality. 1. The therapist shall inform the client(s) receiving therapy that in order to provide information to third parties about the therapy, a release of information shall be signed by all participants in therapy; and (H) Taping or recording sessions and how the tapes will be used. (2) When the therapist is absent for an extended period of time, the therapist shall make arrangements for a client’s access to marital and family therapy from another qualified professional and inform the client of available emergency services. These periods include, but are not limited to, after-office hours, weekends, holidays or vacations. (3) The therapist shall give a truthful, understandable and reasonably complete account of the client’s condition to the client or the parent of minor children or legal guardian(s). The therapist shall keep the client fully informed as to the purpose and nature of any evaluation, treatment or other procedures, and of the client’s right to freedom of choice regarding services provided. (A) To the extent that the client can understand, the therapist shall inform a client who is below the age of majority or who has a legal guardian of the limit the law imposes on the right of confidentiality with respect to communications with the therapist. (4) The therapist shall inform recipients as to the voluntary or mandatory nature of an assessment, treatment, research, educational or training procedure. When a procedure is voluntary, the therapist shall inform the clients, students or research participants of their freedom of choice and any alternatives to participation. (5) When conducting research or offering inducement for obtaining research participants, the therapist shall clearly communicate to participants the experience they are likely to have, especially those experiences that may be negative, such as physical risk, discomfort, or negative emotional reactions. (6) When research participation is mandated by a third party, the therapist shall describe the probable consequences of agreeing to or declining to participate or of subsequently withdrawing from the research. (7) In conducting research the therapist shall observe stringent safeguards to protect the rights of human participants. AUTHORITY: sections 337.727.1(6) and (10) and 337.730.2(15), RSMo Supp. 1997.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 233-3.020. Original rule filed Dec. 31, 1997, effective July 30, 1998. Moved to 20 CSR 2233-3.020, effective Aug. 28, 2006. *Original authority: 337.727, RSMo 1995 and 337.780, RSMo, 1995.