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Spring 2026 Evening Series
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Webinar

S26-502 Risk Management Strategies for Ethical Practice

Total Credits: 3 Ethic CEs

Bundle(s):
Spring 2026 Evening Series | Spring 2026 Ethics Workshops
Categories:
500 Ethics |  New |  Evening
Instructor:
Gisele Ferretto, MSW, LCSW-C
Course Levels:
Intermediate
Duration:
3 Hours 15 Minutes
Target Audience:
Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists
Dates
Please Note: Programs with a ☾ insignia begin after 5pm or air on the weekend.
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Description

Ethical issues are interwoven in social work interventions, relationships, and evidence-based practice. To fully understand and navigate the complicated ethical issues in behavioral practice, it is necessary for social workers to practice risk management strategies.   

Many ethical violations do not fall in the category of egregious and deliberate—yet still these violations impact the clients, the agency, the licensee, and the profession. This workshop will explore lessons learned for anticipating and preventing ethical violations.   

 

This workshop is in accordance with and compliance with the NASW Standards with a focus on service, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, competence and social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, to colleagues, in practice settings, as professionals, to the social work profession, to the broader society. 

This workshop meets the Ethics CE license renewal requirements for Maryland and the District of Columbia.  The workshop is in compliance with the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners’ COMAR 10.42.03.06.A(5) and with the District of Columbia Board of Social Work 17-70-7008.4.  

Instructor

Gisele Ferretto, MSW, LCSW-C Related Seminars and Products

University of Maryland School of Social Work

Gisele Ferretto, MSW, LCSW-C, has over thirty-five years of social work experience in both clinical and macro practice areas. Her areas of expertise include: policy, professional ethics, supervision and leadership, confidentiality, social work and field practicum education, child welfare practice, and curriculum development. Ms. Ferretto provides consultation and training for private and public agencies in her areas of expertise. She has served on various committees and boards at the local, state, and national level, developing policy and program initiatives.     

Currently, Ms. Ferretto is on the faculty at the University of Maryland School of Social Work (SSW) and serves as the director of public policy and manager of training for the Office of Practicum Education. During her tenure at the SSW, she has held positions in the Office of Practicum Education, Office of External Affairs, Child Welfare Fellowship Program, Child Welfare Academy, Family Connections Baltimore, and Social Work Community Outreach Service (SWCOS). Prior to her time at the SSW, she served as an administrator at the Maryland Department of Human Services in the following programs: Child Protective Services, Office of Equal Opportunity, and the Office of Staff Development and Training. Ms. Ferretto began her social work career as a child protective services worker at the Baltimore City Department of Social Services.  

Agenda & Learning Objectives

AGENDA:

5:50 pm – 6:00 pm Log on  

 

6:00 pm           

The ethical issues addressed in statute and regulations 

Different authorities or sources of policy and their impact on practice 

NASW Code of Ethics and BSWE MD COMAR 10.42.03 Code of Ethics: similarities, differences, and recent changes. 

Risk Management Strategies  

Procedures for locating policy that describes ethical practice requirements for behavioral health in the Legislative Branch (Statute/Law) and Executive Branch (COMAR, Executive Orders, Policy) and Judicial Branch (Court Decisions, Consent Decrees, and Attorney General Opinions)  

 

7:30 pm to 7:45 pm BREAK  

 

7:45 pm           

Review of Relevant Statute and Regulations Relevant to Behavioral Health Practice Including: Confidentiality, Informed Consent, Maintaining Personal Notes, Scope of Practice, Reporting Suspected Maltreatment and Harm to Vulnerable Adults, Duty to Warn, and Emergency Petitions. 

Activity to apply content covered. 

 

9:15 pm Adjournment  

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Identify the governing bodies, statutes and regulations, and national standards that inform effective and ethical social work practice.    

  • Examine the most common ethical licensing violations to identify potential areas of professional risk.   

  • Explore the use of statute and regulations that govern social work practice, with special attention to the legal requirements for professional conduct and the function served by an ethical code.   

  • Identify risk management strategies and describe steps necessary to anticipate and address challenges in social work practice.   

Bibliography & References

BIBLIOGRAPHY & REFERENCES

Reamer, F. G. (2023). Risk Management in the Behavioral Health Professions: A Practical Guide to Preventing Malpractice and Licensing-Board Complaints. Columbia University Press. https://doi.org/10.7312/ream20830 

Reamer, F.  (2020, June 30). Social Work Malpractice, Liability, and Risk Management. Encyclopedia of Social Work. Retrieved 3 Jul. 2025, from https://oxfordre.com/socialwork/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-977. 

Understanding Risk in Social Work. (2017). Journal of Social Work Practice, 31(4), 375–378. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2017.1397612 

Reamer, Frederic G. (2015) Risk Management in Social Work: Preventing Professional Malpractice, Liability, and Disciplinary Action.  New York: Columbia University Press. 

 MD Board of Social Work Examiner (BSWE) website: https://health.maryland.gov/bswe/Pages/default.aspx   

Maryland Statutes reviewed from:  https://advance.lexis.com/container?config=00JAA1NTM5MzBmZC02MTg2LTQzNmEtYmI5Yy0yZWEwYzA1OGEwNTYKAFBvZENhdGFsb2fdgr2eooaZj7MpSZGOIwWq&crid=62a2b53d-1bfd-4f4c-9c23-14be3c174d42&prid=80f4f800-2ccf-4740-85e0-5192729159a8 

  • Family Law Article §5-704.1 (substantial risk of sexual abuse) 

  • Health General §4-307 (personal notes) 

  • Health General, §4-303 (Informed consent) 

  • Health General, §4-301, et seq. (Medical/ Mental Health records confidentiality) 

  • Courts and Judicial Proceedings, §5-609 (Duty to Warn) 

  • Family Law §5-704 (reporting child maltreatment) 

  • Family Law §14-704 (reporting child maltreatment) 

  • Health General §20-102 (rights of minors) 

  • Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 9-121 (Privileged communication)  

Maryland Regulations reviewed from http://www.dsd.state.md.us/COMAR/ComarHome.html 

  • COMAR 10.42.03.06 (conflict of interest) 

  • COMAR 10.42.03.02 and 10.42.03.05 (dual relationship) 

  • COMAR 10.42.03.06 D (physical contact) 

  • COMAR 10.42.10 (teletherapy) 

  • COMAR 10.42.02.03 (scope of Practice) 

  

Course Completion & CE Information

Category I Maryland BSWE Requirement

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs. This workshop qualifies for 3 Category I Continuing Education Units for Ethics. The Office of Continuing Professional Education is also authorized by the Maryland Board of Psychologists and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors to sponsor Category A continuing professional education. 

 

ASWB Information 

University of Maryland School of Social Work Office of Continuing Professional Education, #1611, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 2/11/2024-2/11/2027.  

To receive ACE credit, full attendance is required; no partial credits will be given for partial attendance. 

 

Certificate Access

To access the evaluation and certificate, click on the orange certificate button in your CPE account. Once you complete the evaluation, access to the certificate will be available.  

Live Interactive Webinars (Cat I) and Live Webinars (Cat II) - Allow up to 30 minutes post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

In Person Trainings - Please allow five (5) business days post-training for attendance to be verified, then you will be able to access the evaluation and certificate. 

 

Please refer to the tab "Live Interactive Webinar Policies & FAQs" for UMSSW Office of CPE policies regarding all live interactive webinar related matters. Contact our office at cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu for more information.  

Evaluation

Participants will have access to the evaluation after attendance has been verified. Evaluations will be available for one (1) week after the workshop has ended.  

After one (1) week, participants will no longer have access to the evaluation and will have to contact CPE about reactivation.

Target Audience

Social Workers, LCPCs, and Psychologists

We welcome anyone interested in the topic!

 

Live Interactive Webinar Platforms

LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBINAR PLATFORMS

The Office of Continuing Professional Education hosts Live Interactive Webinars through Zoom. This platform offers a high quality and user-friendly webinar platform for our registrants.

System Requirements:

  • Operating Systems: Windows XP or higher; MacOS 9 or higher; Android 4.0 or higher.
  • Internet Browser: Google Chrome; Firefox 10.0 or higher.

Our system is not compatible with the Safari web browser.

  • Broadband Internet Connection: Cable, High-speed DSL and any other medium that is internet accessible.

**Please have your device charging at all times to ensure that your device does not lose power during the webinar.

Course Interaction Requirements:

To participate in Live Interactive Webinars, you MUST have a device that allows you to view the presentation on screen and hear the instructor at all times. We do not allow participants to call-in from their phones or mobile devices and solely listen to the presentation. Participation in Live Interactive Webinars is mandatory.

Our webinar policies can be found on our website by clicking here.

Webinar Policies & FAQs

Click The Link to View The Webinar Policies & FAQs

https://umbsswcpe.ce21.com/Page/live-interactive-webinar-procedures-policies-4129

 

 

Code of Conduct

The Office of Continuing Professional Education at the University of Maryland School of Social Work adheres to the NASW Code of Ethics. This policy is to ensure that the training environment for social work professionals remains respectful, productive, and conducive to learning. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning process, disrupts the training experience for others, or undermines the integrity of the program will not be tolerated.

 

Expectations for Participant Engagement:

In alignment with the NASW Code of Ethics and the University of Maryland Baltimore Code of Conduct, participants are expected to demonstrate professionalism, which includes respecting confidentiality, maintaining a collaborative and respectful tone, and contributing positively to the group dynamic. Disclosures made during the training (e.g., case studies or personal reflections) must be handled with care and in accordance with ethical and legal guidelines.

All participants in the training program are expected to:

  • Engage actively in the learning process and show respect for the opinions and contributions of others.
  • Demonstrate professionalism in both attitude and behavior, maintaining respect for instructors, peers, and the training environment.
  • Maintain open communication by expressing concerns or disagreements constructively and respectfully.
  • Follow the guidelines and expectations provided by instructors and facilitators.
  • Support a collaborative learning environment where all participants feel valued and safe to contribute.

 

Instructors and CPE staff reserve the right to dismiss participants who do not adhere to ethical/professional principles and standards. If removed, CEs will be adjusted to reflect the time attended, unless otherwise specified. 

ADA Accommodations

To request ADA accommodations:

Please email our office at least four (4) weeks before the workshop. Late requests may not be accommodated.

Our email address is cpe@ssw.umaryland.edu.  

Late Fees and Refunds

The base price is $70, which includes CE credit.  

Late Fee: On 03/26/26, a non-refundable late fee of $20 is added to the base price. Late fees cannot be refunded or applied to account credit.  

Cancellations: **ALL cancellations will be subjected to a $35.00 administration fee.**  To be eligible for a refund or CPE account credit, cancellations must be made at least 24 hours before the workshop. 

For more information, please read the general policies on our website.  

 

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