Washington State’s New Confidentiality Standards for LMHCs, LMFTs, and Social Workers

Time: 9:00am-3:00pm

Location: Virtual

Instructor: Dr. Eric L Ström, Ph.D., JD, LMHC

CE credits: 3 (pending)

Course Description:

As of July 27^th 2025, the legal framework for confidentiality in behavioral health practice underwent a significant shift in Washington State. Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), and Social Workers are now subject to the standards of RCW 70.02—Washington’s Uniform Health Care Information Act—through its incorporation into RCW 18.225.105.

This 3-hour ethics workshop is designed to help clinicians understand and apply this critical change to Washington State law. Participants will examine how the newly aligned laws alter confidentiality obligations, reshape definitions of protected information, and introduce updated rules around disclosures, client rights, and documentation practices.

Through step-by-step analysis, practical examples, and discussion, this training will equip attendees to confidently navigate the new legal landscape while upholding core ethical principles. This course is intended to meet Washington’s ethics CEU requirement.

 Objectives:

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the sources of legal standards relating to confidentiality;
2. Understand the relationship between Washington State statutes and federal regulations with respect to client confidentiality;
3. Describe when disclosure of client information is required;
4. Describe when disclosure of client information is allowed
5. Create strategies to apply current confidentiality laws to protect the best interest of veteran clients.

References:

Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder Patient Records. (2024). 42 C.F.R. Part 2

Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information. (2013). 45 C.F.R. § 160, 164.

Wash. Rev. Code § 70.02 (2024).

Wash. Rev. Code § 18.225.105 (2025)

Winfield, C., & Huffman, J. (2025). Confidentiality in Addiction Treatment: Navigating 42 CFR Part 2 Within Human Services. Journal of Human Services, 44(2), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.52678/001c.132049

Leung, E., Graziano, M., Coleman, M., Wanner, K. J., Scharf, J., Madelynn Bovasso, Wells, S., & Middleton, D. (2025). Behavioral health providers’ perspectives on supporting patient decisions in sharing treatment information in substance use and mental health settings: a qualitative study. Patient Education and Counseling, 137, 108829–108829. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2025.108829

Wise, R. A., Heinrich, D. R. M., & Miller, J. C. (2024). What psychologists need to know about substance use confidentiality. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 55(6), 547–555. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000580

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