Threat assessment has become an increasingly important component of contemporary social work and behavioral health practice. Social workers and other mental health professionals are often called upon to evaluate threats of violence, assess risk, and make difficult decisions that balance client confidentiality, self-determination, and public safety.

This interactive training explores the ethical foundations of threat assessment through the lens of the NASW Code of Ethics, Pennsylvania's duty to warn and duty to protect requirements, and current best practices in Structured Clinical Judgment (SCJ). Participants will examine common ethical dilemmas encountered in practice, explore the impact of bias and uncertainty on decision-making, and review practical strategies for conducting ethically sound and legally defensible threat assessments.

Using case-based discussion, attendees will strengthen their ability to navigate complex risk situations while maintaining professional integrity, protecting client rights, and promoting community safety.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
1.    Identify the core ethical principles that guide threat assessment practice in social work and behavioral health settings.
2.    Analyze ethical challenges related to confidentiality, client autonomy, public safety, and duty to warn obligations.
3.    Apply Structured Clinical Judgment principles and ethical decision-making frameworks to threat assessment scenarios.
4.    Describe current Pennsylvania legal standards related to duty to warn and duty to protect.
5.    Develop practical strategies for documentation, consultation, and ethical risk management in threat assessment practice.