WMHCA: Navigating Washington State's New Confidentiality Standards for, LMHCs, LMFT's & Social Workers: A 2025 Update

3 Law and Ethics CEs Recorded: Summer, 2025

As of July 27 th 2025, the legal framework for confidentiality in behavioral health practice will undergo a significant shift in Washington State. Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs), Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs), and Social Workers will now be 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 prepare clinicians for this critical change.

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 CE requirement.

Learning Objectives After taking part in 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.

Timed Outline Sources of Law and Ethics Standards (0.25 hours) Confidentiality Rules (0.25 hours) Required Disclosures (0.5 hours) Discretionary Disclosures (0.75 hours) Reluctant Disclosures (0.75 hours) Psychotherapy Notes (0.5 hours)