Difference between the duty to warn and the duty to protect.
Think about the location where you currently work, or a place in the past where you have worked. How safe do you, or did you, feel working there? How would you assess the workplace’s safety plan? What might the organization do to improve on the plan? What suggestions would you make? (200 words)
Think about the difference between the duty to warn and the duty to protect. Should states have laws that mandate when these duties come into effect? If so, what language should be used in these statutes to ensure that the client’s confidentiality is protected as well as the life of the possible victim? If you don’t think laws should be enacted to spell out the crisis worker’s duty, what other steps can be taken to ensure safety all around? (200 words)
Think about a time when you ended a important relationship. Think about how you felt; the things you needed to talk about before saying goodbye; and what you did that made the process easier or harder.
Write down your ideas about how you can use what you know about ending relationships in your work as a practitioner. (200 words)
Sample Solution
Question 1:
I currently work as a crisis counselor at a mental health clinic. I feel safe working here, and I believe the workplace's safety plan is adequate. The plan includes procedures for responding to workplace violence, sexual harassment, and other safety concerns. The plan also includes training for staff on how to identify and respond to potential safety threats.
I believe the organization could improve the safety plan by including more specific procedures for responding to different types of safety threats. For example, the plan could include more specific procedures for responding to threats of violence against staff or clients. The plan could also include more specific procedures for responding to sexual harassment.
Question 2:
The duty to warn and the duty to protect are two different legal obligations that crisis workers may have. The duty to warn is the obligation to warn a potential victim of harm if a client has made a credible threat of violence against that person. The duty to protect is the obligation to take reasonable steps to protect a potential victim of harm if a client has made a credible threat of violence against that person.
I believe that states should have laws that mandate when these duties come into effect. The language in these statutes should be clear and concise, and it should strike a balance between protecting the client's confidentiality and protecting the life of the potential victim. The statutes should also include provisions for exceptions to the duties to warn and protect, such as when the client is a minor or when the client is a danger to themselves.
If I do not think laws should be enacted to spell out the crisis worker's duty, other steps can be taken to ensure safety all around. These steps include:
- Training staff on how to identify and respond to potential safety threats.
- Establishing clear policies and procedures for responding to safety threats.
- Creating a safe and supportive work environment for staff.
- Providing staff with access to resources for coping with stress and trauma.