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AK MFT Juris practice questions

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Question 1Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Under Alaska law, which entity is responsible for licensing marital and family therapists and enforcing the statutes and regulations governing their practice?

  1. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
  2. The Alaska State Medical Board
  3. The Alaska Court System
  4. The Alaska State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists Correct answer.

Explanation

Alaska's marital and family therapy licensure is administered through the state professional licensing structure overseen by the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists, which adopts regulations and handles discipline. The other bodies listed do not license MFTs.

Question 2Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which of the following best describes the primary purpose of the Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy?

  1. To standardize fees charged by all licensed therapists
  2. To protect the public by setting standards for competent and ethical practice Correct answer.
  3. To guarantee therapists a minimum income level
  4. To limit competition among mental health professions

Explanation

Professional licensure laws exist to safeguard the public by ensuring practitioners meet education, examination, and conduct standards. They do not set fees, guarantee income, or restrict competition for its own sake.

Question 3Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist in Alaska is required to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Which statement best reflects the scope of this mandated reporting duty?

  1. Only therapists employed by state agencies must report
  2. Reporting is required only after the therapist consults an attorney
  3. Reporting is required when the therapist has reasonable cause to believe a child has been harmed Correct answer.
  4. Reporting is optional and left to clinical judgment

Explanation

Alaska's mandated reporter framework requires professionals, including therapists, to report when they have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect. The duty is not limited to state employees and is not discretionary.

Question 4Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which of the following is generally required before an individual may be licensed as a marital and family therapist in Alaska?

  1. Residency in Alaska for at least ten years
  2. Membership in a national professional association
  3. A doctoral degree in any field
  4. Completion of supervised clinical experience and a qualifying examination Correct answer.

Explanation

Licensure typically requires a qualifying graduate degree, supervised post-degree clinical hours, and passing a recognized examination. Association membership and long residency are not licensure requirements.

Question 5Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Confidentiality in marital and family therapy under Alaska rules is best understood as which of the following?

  1. An absolute privilege that never yields to any other interest
  2. A rule that applies only to individual, not family, clients
  3. A legal and ethical duty with defined exceptions recognized by statute Correct answer.
  4. A courtesy extended at the therapist's discretion

Explanation

Confidentiality is a duty with legally recognized exceptions such as mandated reporting, court orders, and imminent danger. It is neither absolute nor discretionary, and it applies to family therapy as well.

Question 6Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

When a therapist is served with a valid court order requiring release of a client's records, the therapist's most appropriate initial action is to:

  1. Ignore the order because therapy records are privileged
  2. Seek to confirm the order's validity and assert privilege where applicable before disclosing Correct answer.
  3. Destroy the records to protect the client
  4. Release the full record immediately without notifying the client

Explanation

A therapist should verify the legal validity of the order and, where the client holds privilege, assert it if appropriate before disclosing. Ignoring a court order or destroying records is improper, and immediate unqualified release may waive protections.

Question 7Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist learns during a couples session that one partner is planning to seriously harm the other. Under the duty-to-protect framework reflected in Alaska practice, the therapist should:

  1. Immediately terminate therapy without further action
  2. Maintain confidentiality because both partners are clients
  3. Take reasonable steps to protect the intended victim, which may include warning and notifying authorities Correct answer.
  4. Inform only the intended victim's family members

Explanation

When a client presents a serious threat of violence to an identifiable victim, the therapist may take protective steps such as warning the victim and notifying law enforcement. Confidentiality yields to this safety obligation.

Question 8Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A licensed therapist wants to provide services via telehealth to a client located in another state. The most accurate statement about this situation is:

  1. Only the client's home state rules are irrelevant to practice
  2. Telehealth is prohibited for marital and family therapists
  3. The therapist should verify the requirements of the state where the client is located Correct answer.
  4. Alaska licensure alone authorizes practice in every state

Explanation

Practice generally occurs where the client is located, so therapists must confirm that jurisdiction's licensure or telehealth registration requirements. Alaska licensure does not automatically authorize practice elsewhere.

Question 9Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which of the following best describes the standard for maintaining client records under Alaska regulations for marital and family therapists?

  1. Records may be discarded at any time at the therapist's discretion
  2. Records should be kept for a defined retention period consistent with professional and legal standards Correct answer.
  3. Records need only be kept if the client requests them
  4. Records must be kept permanently in all cases

Explanation

Regulations and professional standards require records to be maintained for a defined retention period and to be accurate and secure. Indefinite or discretionary destruction is inconsistent with these duties.

Question 10Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist discloses a client's identifying information in a public presentation without consent. This most directly implicates which regulatory concern?

  1. Advertising restrictions on office hours
  2. Continuing education credit requirements
  3. Fee-setting rules
  4. Confidentiality and privacy protections Correct answer.

Explanation

Unauthorized disclosure of identifying client information violates confidentiality and privacy protections. The other listed topics concern unrelated administrative matters.

Question 11Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Informed consent for marital and family therapy services should generally include which of the following?

  1. An explanation of the nature of services, limits of confidentiality, and the therapist's role Correct answer.
  2. A guarantee of specific treatment outcomes
  3. A waiver of the client's right to file a complaint
  4. A requirement that clients waive all access to their records

Explanation

Informed consent communicates the nature of services, confidentiality limits, and the therapist's role, especially in multi-client work. It cannot guarantee outcomes or require clients to waive legal rights.

Question 12Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is considering entering a romantic relationship with a former client. Under professional ethics incorporated into Alaska practice, this is:

  1. Permitted immediately after termination
  2. Generally prohibited, and any post-termination relationship requires careful analysis of harm and timing Correct answer.
  3. Required to be disclosed only to the licensing board
  4. Permitted if the client consents in writing

Explanation

Sexual or romantic relationships with former clients are generally prohibited or severely restricted, requiring analysis of exploitation and sufficient time since termination. Client consent does not cure the ethical problem.

Question 13Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which of the following situations most clearly requires the therapist to obtain consultation or take steps to avoid a conflict of interest?

  1. The therapist's own family member requests therapy from the therapist Correct answer.
  2. A client requests a different appointment time
  3. A client asks about the therapist's theoretical orientation
  4. A client asks for a referral to a community resource

Explanation

Providing therapy to one's own family member creates a clear multiple-relationship and conflict-of-interest problem that should be avoided or carefully managed. The other situations are routine clinical matters.

Question 14Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Alaska regulations require licensees to complete continuing education. The primary rationale for this requirement is to:

  1. Ensure practitioners maintain and update professional competence Correct answer.
  2. Increase licensing revenue
  3. Reduce the number of licensed therapists
  4. Standardize the fees therapists charge

Explanation

Continuing education exists to keep practitioners current and competent in their field. It is not a revenue or fee-control mechanism and is not designed to reduce the workforce.

Question 15Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A client in marital therapy asks the therapist to testify on the client's behalf in a divorce proceeding. Which consideration is most relevant to how the therapist should respond?

  1. The therapist must always testify when requested by a client
  2. The therapist should testify only if paid an expert witness fee
  3. The therapist should consider privilege, role boundaries, and potential harm to the therapeutic relationship Correct answer.
  4. The therapist should refuse to ever communicate with courts

Explanation

Testifying raises issues of privilege, the therapist's role as clinician versus evaluator, and effects on therapy, and requires careful analysis. Blanket rules to always testify or always refuse are incorrect.

Question 16Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Under Alaska's approach to unprofessional conduct, which behavior would most likely subject a licensee to disciplinary action?

  1. Declining a client whose needs exceed the therapist's competence
  2. Practicing while impaired by alcohol or drugs Correct answer.
  3. Attending a professional conference
  4. Consulting with a colleague about a difficult case

Explanation

Practicing while impaired is a recognized form of unprofessional conduct subject to discipline. Conference attendance, appropriate referrals, and consultation are all consistent with professional standards.

Question 17Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist discovers that a client's file was accessed improperly by an unauthorized person. The therapist's best course of action is to:

  1. Take reasonable steps to mitigate harm and follow applicable breach-notification requirements Correct answer.
  2. Delete the file to eliminate evidence
  3. Say nothing to avoid alarming the client
  4. Post a general notice on social media

Explanation

When confidentiality is compromised, the therapist should act to mitigate harm and comply with breach-notification obligations. Concealment, destruction of records, or public posting is inappropriate.

Question 18Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which statement accurately describes the therapist's role regarding a client's right to access their own records in Alaska practice?

  1. Records may be released only to other therapists
  2. Clients have no right to any information in their record
  3. Clients generally have a right to access their records, subject to limited exceptions Correct answer.
  4. Only a court may authorize client access

Explanation

Clients generally have a right of access to their treatment records, with narrow exceptions where access could cause harm. Denying all access or requiring a court order misstates the rule.

Question 19Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist plans to advertise services. Which practice is consistent with professional advertising standards?

  1. Stating an unearned specialty certification
  2. Presenting credentials accurately and avoiding misleading claims Correct answer.
  3. Claiming guaranteed cures for relationship problems
  4. Using a former client's name without consent

Explanation

Advertising must be truthful and not misleading, with accurate credentials and no unsubstantiated guarantees. Using client names without consent and claiming unearned certifications are improper.

Question 20Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

When a therapist determines that a client's needs are outside the therapist's scope of competence, the appropriate response is to:

  1. Charge a higher fee to compensate for the difficulty
  2. Refer the client to an appropriate provider, with follow-up as needed Correct answer.
  3. Silently reduce the frequency of sessions
  4. Continue treatment to avoid abandoning the client

Explanation

Therapists should practice within their competence and refer when needs exceed it, taking care to avoid abandonment. Continuing outside one's competence or silently withdrawing is improper.

Question 21Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is asked to treat a couple while also treating one partner individually. The most significant ethical concern is:

  1. The length of the treatment
  2. The therapist's scheduling availability
  3. The risk of conflicting loyalties and compromised objectivity Correct answer.
  4. The cost of the additional sessions

Explanation

Combining individual and couples work with the same therapist creates role confusion and conflicting obligations that can compromise objectivity. Scheduling, cost, and duration are secondary to this loyalty concern.

Question 22Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which of the following best characterizes the therapist's duty when a client expresses suicidal ideation?

  1. The therapist must immediately hospitalize every client who mentions suicide
  2. The therapist must take reasonable clinical steps to assess and manage risk, including safety planning and appropriate intervention Correct answer.
  3. The therapist must notify the client's employer
  4. The therapist should ignore the statement if the client downplays it

Explanation

Suicidal ideation requires competent risk assessment and management, which may include safety planning, consultation, and emergency steps as indicated. Automatic hospitalization of every client and ignoring the statement are both incorrect.

Question 23Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is retiring and must decide what to do with client records. The most appropriate approach is to:

  1. Leave records in an unlocked office
  2. Discard all records immediately
  3. Give records to a former client's family without consent
  4. Arrange for secure retention and transfer consistent with legal and ethical requirements, and inform clients Correct answer.

Explanation

On closing a practice, therapists must ensure records are retained or transferred securely and clients are informed, consistent with legal and ethical standards. Destruction, insecure storage, or unauthorized disclosure is improper.

Question 24Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Informed consent in couples and family therapy specifically requires the therapist to clarify:

  1. That the therapist will always take one partner's side
  2. That records will be shared publicly
  3. The absence of any confidentiality among family members and the therapist's policies on disclosures Correct answer.
  4. Which partner is the identified patient

Explanation

Family and couples therapy requires clear disclosure of how information will be handled among participants and the therapist's disclosure policies. There is no 'identified patient' requirement, no taking sides, and records are not public.

Question 25Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist receives a subpoena for a client's records in a civil case. Which response best reflects appropriate practice?

  1. Ignore the subpoena entirely
  2. Respond by asserting privilege on the client's behalf where appropriate and seeking clarification or a court order Correct answer.
  3. Destroy the records to avoid compliance
  4. Immediately mail the entire record to the requesting attorney

Explanation

A subpoena is a request that may require assertion of privilege and confirmation of legal authority before disclosure. Ignoring it, automatic full disclosure, or destruction are all improper.

Question 26Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Under Alaska law, which body is responsible for licensing marital and family therapists and enforcing the statutes and regulations governing their practice?

  1. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services
  2. The Alaska Board of Marital and Family Therapy Correct answer.
  3. The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
  4. The Alaska Court System

Explanation

Alaska's professional licensing boards, including the board responsible for marital and family therapy, administer licensure and discipline under the state's professional regulations. AAMFT is a private professional association and does not hold statutory licensing authority.

Question 27Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A licensee moves to a new address and fails to notify the licensing board within the required timeframe. This most directly constitutes:

  1. Grounds for automatic license revocation
  2. A criminal offense prosecuted by the state
  3. A minor clerical matter with no regulatory consequence
  4. A violation of the reporting obligation that can support disciplinary action Correct answer.

Explanation

Licensees are required to keep the board informed of current contact information, and failure to do so is a regulatory compliance violation that can support discipline. It is not an automatic revocation or a criminal matter.

Question 28Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which of the following best describes the minimum educational credential typically required for licensure as a marital and family therapist in Alaska?

  1. A doctoral degree in psychology
  2. A bachelor's degree in any field
  3. A master's degree in a qualifying behavioral health discipline Correct answer.
  4. A high school diploma plus supervised experience

Explanation

Alaska licensure for marital and family therapists is built on a graduate degree in a qualifying mental health discipline plus supervised clinical experience. A bachelor's or high school credential does not meet the educational standard.

Question 29Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist provides services to a family and wishes to make a recording of a session for training purposes. The most appropriate action is to:

  1. Record only the children, since parental consent covers them
  2. Obtain informed consent from the participants before recording Correct answer.
  3. Record without telling the family because recordings are internal documents
  4. Record and then delete the file before anyone can object

Explanation

Recording sessions requires informed consent from the clients involved, and the consent should address the purpose, storage, and future use of the recording. Covert recording or selective consent does not satisfy this obligation.

Question 30Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Under Alaska's mandatory reporting framework, a therapist who has reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused or neglected must:

  1. Report to the designated state authority as required by law Correct answer.
  2. Wait until the next scheduled session to gather more detail
  3. Report only after confirming the abuse through independent investigation
  4. Discuss the suspicion only with the family's attorney

Explanation

Mandatory reporters must notify the designated child protection authority when they have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect. The therapist is not required to investigate or confirm before reporting.

Question 31Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is asked by a client to sign a statement attesting to the client's mental fitness for a custody dispute. The therapist has seen the client only twice. The most appropriate response is to:

  1. Refer the client to an attorney to draft the statement instead
  2. Sign the statement because the client requested it
  3. Sign but add a note that the opinion is provisional
  4. Decline and explain that the evaluation is outside the treatment role and insufficient basis Correct answer.

Explanation

Providing forensic or custody opinions requires an appropriate evaluative role and sufficient basis, which a brief treatment relationship does not supply. The therapist should decline and clarify the limits of the treatment role.

Question 32Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist wants to ensure clients understand fees, confidentiality limits, and the risks and benefits of treatment before starting services. This is best accomplished by:

  1. Posting a general notice in the waiting room only
  2. Explaining policies only if the client asks questions
  3. Including the information in the final session summary
  4. Providing a written and verbal informed consent process documented in the record Correct answer.

Explanation

Informed consent should be an ongoing process delivered in a way clients can understand and documented in the clinical record. A passive waiting-room notice or end-of-treatment summary is not adequate.

Question 33Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

Which of the following is the most accurate description of the therapist's obligation regarding cultural competence in Alaska practice?

  1. Cultural considerations are optional and unrelated to clinical standards
  2. Therapists should recognize and address how culture affects assessment and treatment Correct answer.
  3. Cultural competence applies only to clients who request it
  4. Therapists must only serve clients who share their cultural background

Explanation

Professional standards require therapists to consider how cultural context shapes assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. This is part of competent practice rather than an optional extra.

Question 34Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist's license lapses because continuing education requirements were not completed. The therapist may lawfully continue practicing only if:

  1. The therapist has many years of experience
  2. The therapist renews or reinstates the license according to board procedures Correct answer.
  3. The therapist practices under a different title
  4. The therapist's employer grants permission

Explanation

Practicing without a current license is unlawful regardless of experience or employer approval; the therapist must follow the board's renewal or reinstatement process. Using a different title does not cure the lack of licensure.

Question 35Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist receives a request from an insurer for treatment information. The most appropriate approach is to:

  1. Refuse all communication with insurers
  2. Send the entire file to the client instead of the insurer
  3. Release only the minimum necessary information with appropriate client authorization Correct answer.
  4. Release the full record because insurance payment implies consent to any disclosure

Explanation

Disclosures to insurers should be limited to the minimum necessary information and supported by appropriate authorization consistent with confidentiality rules. Payment alone does not authorize unlimited disclosure.

Question 36Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is treating a couple and one partner requests that the therapist keep a secret from the other partner. The best practice is to:

  1. Keep the secret indefinitely to preserve the individual's trust
  2. Terminate therapy with the couple
  3. Establish a no-secrets policy at the outset and address the disclosure in treatment Correct answer.
  4. Tell the other partner immediately without discussion

Explanation

Couples therapists commonly adopt a clear no-secrets policy so that information relevant to the relationship can be addressed in treatment. Handling secrets through a pre-established policy protects both the therapeutic process and informed consent.

Question 37Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist wishes to use a new intervention for which there is limited evidence. The therapist's most appropriate action is to:

  1. Present it as an established, proven treatment
  2. Use it without disclosure because therapists may choose any method
  3. Use it only on clients who cannot object
  4. Disclose the limits of the evidence and obtain informed consent before proceeding Correct answer.

Explanation

Clients are entitled to information about the nature and evidence base of proposed treatments so they can make informed choices. Presenting an unproven method as established would be misleading.

Question 38Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist suspects that a colleague is impaired by substance use and is placing clients at risk. The most appropriate initial step is to:

  1. Ignore the situation to avoid interfering with a colleague
  2. Follow the applicable reporting and intervention procedures to protect clients Correct answer.
  3. Report the colleague to law enforcement as a first resort
  4. Confront the colleague publicly in front of clients

Explanation

When a colleague's impairment poses a risk to clients, the therapist should act through the appropriate supervisory, institutional, or board channels designed to protect the public. Public confrontation or inaction are both inappropriate.

Question 39Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is asked to provide a diagnosis to a client's employer. Before releasing any diagnostic information, the therapist should:

  1. Refuse to ever communicate with employers
  2. Provide it freely because employers have a legitimate interest
  3. Obtain appropriate authorization and release only the minimum necessary information Correct answer.
  4. Provide the entire clinical record to be safe

Explanation

Releasing diagnostic information to an employer requires appropriate client authorization and should be limited to the minimum necessary. Neither unrestricted release nor blanket refusal reflects the rule.

Question 40Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is developing a social media presence. Which practice best aligns with professional obligations?

  1. Maintaining separate professional boundaries and avoiding client friend requests Correct answer.
  2. Accepting current clients as personal social media friends
  3. Posting anonymized client stories with identifying details
  4. Using client testimonials with names in advertising

Explanation

Maintaining clear professional boundaries online, including declining personal connections with clients, protects confidentiality and the therapeutic relationship. Using identifying client information in posts or ads without proper consent is inappropriate.

Question 41Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is asked to serve as an expert witness in a case involving a client currently in treatment. The most significant concern is:

  1. The therapist's hourly rate
  2. The potential conflict between the therapeutic and forensic roles Correct answer.
  3. The client's preference for a particular verdict
  4. The distance to the courthouse

Explanation

Serving as an expert witness for a current therapy client creates a role conflict that can compromise objectivity and harm the therapeutic relationship. This dual-role concern is the central ethical issue.

Question 42Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist provides teletherapy to a client who relocates temporarily within Alaska. Which consideration is most important for continued lawful practice?

  1. Whether the client has a reliable internet connection
  2. Whether the therapist prefers video over telephone
  3. Whether the client's insurance covers teletherapy
  4. Whether the therapist's license authorizes practice with clients located in that area Correct answer.

Explanation

The threshold question is whether the therapist's licensure permits practice with a client located where the client is physically present during sessions. Connectivity and insurance are practical matters, not licensure authority.

Question 43Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is treating a minor and the parents are divorced with joint legal custody. Regarding consent to treatment and sharing of information, the therapist should:

  1. Assume the custodial parent controls all information
  2. Refuse to treat the minor until the parents reconcile
  3. Share information only with the parent who pays the fees
  4. Verify the custody arrangement and follow applicable consent and access rules Correct answer.

Explanation

The therapist should confirm the legal custody arrangement and apply the rules governing consent and access to the minor's information accordingly. Assumptions about custody or payment status can lead to improper disclosure.

Question 44Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is asked to participate in a multidisciplinary team meeting about a client. The therapist should disclose client information only:

  1. If the meeting is held in a hospital
  2. As authorized by the client or permitted by law for coordinated care Correct answer.
  3. To any team member who asks
  4. After the meeting concludes

Explanation

Disclosures in multidisciplinary settings must rest on client authorization or a legal permission for coordinated care. The setting alone does not create authority to share information.

Question 45Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist wants to barter services with a client who owns a landscaping business. The therapist should:

  1. Exchange services without documenting the arrangement
  2. Proceed only if the client suggests it first
  3. Consider whether bartering is clinically appropriate and culturally acceptable before proceeding Correct answer.
  4. Proceed because bartering is always prohibited

Explanation

Bartering is not categorically prohibited but requires careful evaluation of clinical appropriateness, cultural acceptability, and fairness, with documentation of the arrangement. Client initiation alone does not resolve these concerns.

Question 46Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist learns that a client has been abusing a vulnerable adult. Under Alaska's protective reporting framework, the therapist should:

  1. Wait for the client to stop the behavior
  2. Keep the information confidential because of the therapy relationship
  3. Report only if the client consents
  4. Report to the designated adult protective authority as required by law Correct answer.

Explanation

Alaska law requires reporting of suspected abuse of vulnerable adults to the designated protective authority. Client consent is not a precondition for a legally mandated report.

Question 47Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is asked by a client to disclose records to the client's new therapist. The most appropriate action is to:

  1. Send the record to the client's family instead
  2. Refuse because therapists may never share records with other providers
  3. Obtain a valid written authorization and release information consistent with its scope Correct answer.
  4. Release the full record without any authorization because it is a treating provider

Explanation

Disclosure to another treating provider requires a valid written authorization, and the release should match the scope the client approved. Sharing with a provider does not eliminate the authorization requirement.

Question 48Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist is considering a multiple relationship that is not reasonably expected to exploit or harm the client. Under professional standards, the therapist should:

  1. Document the rationale and take steps to safeguard the client's welfare Correct answer.
  2. Avoid documenting to prevent later scrutiny
  3. Delegate the decision to the client
  4. Proceed without any documentation because the relationship is benign

Explanation

When a non-exploitative multiple relationship is contemplated, the therapist must take precautions and document the rationale and safeguards. Leaving no record or shifting the decision to the client is inconsistent with the duty of care.

Question 49Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A client in marital therapy reveals a plan to seriously harm a third party who is not a partner in treatment. The therapist's best course of action is to:

  1. Disclose the threat to the client's employer
  2. Terminate therapy immediately without further action
  3. Take no action because the threat was made in a therapy session
  4. Assess the threat and take protective steps consistent with the duty to protect Correct answer.

Explanation

A serious threat of harm to an identifiable person triggers a duty to assess and take protective action consistent with the legal standard. Session confidentiality does not eliminate that duty.

Question 50Alaska statutes and regulations governing marital and family therapy practice

A therapist discovers that a client's records were released to a third party without authorization due to a staff error. The therapist's most appropriate response is to:

  1. Notify the affected client, mitigate harm, and document corrective actions Correct answer.
  2. Conceal the error to protect the practice
  3. Destroy the remaining records
  4. Wait for the client to notice the breach

Explanation

An unauthorized disclosure requires the therapist to notify the affected client, take reasonable steps to mitigate harm, and document corrective measures. Concealment or destruction of records compounds the problem.