Includes bibliographical references and index.

Professional risk management : an overview -- Professional malpractice and liability -- Key concepts in risk management -- The elements of malpractice and liability -- Process versus outcome and the standard of care -- Damages in liability cases -- Confidentiality and privileged communication -- The concept of privacy -- Common confidentiality issues -- The concept of privileged communication -- Responding to subpoenas and court orders -- Unintentional disclosure of confidential information -- The delivery of services -- Clients' rights -- Informed consent -- Clinical assessment and intervention -- Negligent intervention -- Boundary issues and dual relationships -- Managing boundary risks -- Undue influence -- Suicide -- Involuntary civil commitment -- Protective services -- Defamation of character -- Digital technology and social media -- Impaired social workers -- The nature of impairment -- Extent of impairment -- Causes of impairment -- Sexual abuse of clients -- Practitioner substance abuse -- Response to impairment -- Risk management strategy -- The challenge for social work -- Supervision: clients and staff -- Client supervision -- Staff supervision -- Supervision case law -- Supervision of volunteers -- Liability and social work education -- Preventing supervisory liability -- Consultation, referral, documentation, and records -- Consultation in social work -- Referral in social work -- Social work documentation and records -- Evolution of social work standards -- Risk management standards and guidelines -- Deception and fraud -- Self-interested deception and fraud -- Deception and fraud motivated by altruism -- Termination of service -- The concept of abandonment -- Premature termination -- Prevention strategy -- Responding to lawsuits and ethics complaints: the role of prevention -- In the event of a lawsuit or licensing board complaint -- The role of the expert witness -- Preventing lawsuits and licensing board complaints: good practice -- Preventing lawsuits and licensing board complaints: good ethics -- Ethical dilemmas and decision making -- Conducting an ethics audit.