Ethical Documentation for Clinical Social Workers
3-Hour Workshop on Writing Clear, Compliant Clinical Records
- Speaker:
- Jessie Timmons, LCSW
- Duration:
- 3.25 Hours
- Language:
- Presented in EN, subtitles in EN and FR, handouts in EN
- Product Code:
- LWC150700
- Brochure Code:
- PWZ95628
- Media Type:
- Live Webinar - Also available: Digital Seminar
Description
- What to write, how much to write, and more
- Turn vague documentation rules into clear, actionable guidance
- Get real templates and language for documenting
- Case examples that show what good (and bad) documentation looks like
Your documentation can protect you – or expose you.
Every note you write creates a legal and ethical record. It can defend your clinical judgment in an audit, support continuity of care when a client transfers, or become evidence in a complaint or lawsuit.
But here’s the problem: most social workers were never actually taught how to document well … and when you’re sitting down to write a note, questions creep in:
- Am I writing too much? Too little?
- What if this gets subpoenaed?
- What’s required vs. what’s recommended?
- What do I do if I think I made a mistake?
This 3-hour training removes the guesswork.
You’ll join Jessie Timmons, LCSW. She’s a former president of the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work with over 15 years of clinical, supervisory, and teaching experience who’s worked at Temple University, Albert Einstein Medical Center, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
She’ll show what to document, how to document it, and how to make your notes work for you – protecting your clients, your practice, and your license.
This training is essential for clinical social workers of any experience level and in any setting – private practice, agencies, hospitals, schools, or community mental health.
Don’t wait until you’re facing an audit, complaint, or legal challenge to wish you’d learned this.
Register now!
Credit
Program Information
Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationshipsAll members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
NOTE: Each purchase includes CE credit for one individual (participants in full attendance will be able to print the certificate of completion after passing the online post-test (80% passing score) and completing the evaluation). Instructional methods will include PowerPoint, didactic lecture, Q&A, and others.
Continuing Education Information: Credits listed below are for full attendance at the live, interactive webinar only. This webinar is being broadcast live in real-time and must be attended live, in its entirety, in order to earn credit. You will be able to type questions to the speaker. The speaker will see the questions and address them during the presentation as time allows. Please note, your licensing board dictates whether web-based activities are an acceptable form of continuing education, as well as which credit types are acceptable for continuing education hours. Please refer to your licensing board's rules and regulations. If your profession is not listed, please contact your licensing board to determine your continuing education requirements and check for reciprocal approval. For other credit inquiries not specified below, please contact info@pesi.com or 800-844-8260 before the event.
Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession's standards.
For Planning Committee disclosures, please see the statement above. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
Earn up to 3.0 CE hours. Please see below, for more details, as credit amounts vary by jurisdiction and profession.
THIS ACTIVITY QUALIFIES FOR 3.0 HOURS OF General ETHICS INSTRUCTION. Not all boards allow ethics credit for on-line programs. If ethics is not specified within your licensing board’s approval statement below, please contact your board to determine the applicability and amount of ethics allowed.
PESI, Inc., #1062, 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: January 27, 2026 - January 27, 2029. Social workers completing this course receive 3.0 Ethics continuing education credits.
Course Level: Intermediate Format: Synchronous distance. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.
Canadian Social Workers: Canadian provinces may accept activities offered by providers approved by the ASWB ACE program for ongoing professional development.
This activity qualifies for 180 continuing education minutes as required by many national and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your activity advertisement and certificate of completion, and contact your own board or organization for specific requirements.
Handouts
| File type | File name | Number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual - Ethical Documentation for Clinical Social Workers (2.2 MB) | 56 Pages | Available after Purchase |
Speaker
Jessie Timmons, LCSW Related seminars and products
Jessie Timmons, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker with over 17 years of experience in clinical practice, supervision, and social work education. She is a past president of the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work and former adjunct professor at Temple University’s School of Social Work.
Her clinical experience spans private practice, community mental health, and hospital-based settings, giving her a comprehensive understanding of documentation requirements across contexts. Jessie specializes in substance use treatment, LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy, and trauma-informed care. She is passionate about supporting social workers in developing the practical skills and ethical frameworks they need to practice with confidence and integrity.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jessie Timmons maintains a private practice. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Jessie Timmons has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Program Information
Access Period for Live WebcastFor live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. You will have access for 90 days after the program for review.
Webcast Schedule
Please note: There will be a 15-minute break mid-afternoon. Actual break start time is at the discretion of the speaker. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at https://www.pesicanada.ca/faq or contact us at https://www.pesicanada.ca/contact-us.
Objectives
- Identify ethical standards from the NASW Code of Ethics to guide documentation decisions in clinical practice.
- Identify essential elements that must be included in every clinical note.
- Examine documentation challenges related to client privacy, confidentiality, and privileged communication.
Outline
Foundations of Ethical and Legal Documentation
- Overview of NASW Code of Ethics related to documentation
- HIPAA, state regulations, and licensing board expectations
- Legal and regulatory requirements for record-keeping
- The role of documentation in continuity of care
- Risks, research and limitations
Practical Strategies for Effective Documentation
- Structure notes for clarity, accuracy, and compliance
- Essential elements every note must include
- Documentation in private practice vs. agency settings
- Use templates, progress notes, and treatment plans ethically
- Case vignettes – real-world examples of documentation mistakes
- Documentation strategies for challenging clinical scenarios
- Suicidality, safety concerns, and mandated reporting
- Termination, boundary issues, client threats
Apply Ethics and Critical Thinking to Documentation
- How your notes reflect (and support) your clinical reasoning
- Document consultation and ethical dilemmas
- Use documentation to support client care and risk management
- What NOT to do when you realize you made a mistake
Target Audience
- Social Workers
Reviews
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