Presenter: Frederic G. Reamer, Ph.D.
Category 1 CEUs: 6.0 (ETHICS CREDIT)
Presented by Frederic G. Reamer, PhD
Friday, January 15, 2027
9:30 AM – 4:30 PM ET
Live Virtual Workshop | 6 CE Hours
Boundary and dual relationship issues remain among the most complex ethical challenges faced by clinical social workers. As technology, social media, telehealth, changing practice environments, and evolving professional expectations and standards continue to reshape clinical practice, practitioners are encountering ethical questions that extend well beyond traditional boundary concerns.
GWSCSW is pleased to welcome back nationally recognized social work ethics expert Frederic G. Reamer, PhD, for an updated six-hour program examining Complex Boundary and Dual Relationship Issues in Clinical Social Work.
Dr. Reamer will explore challenging real-world situations involving boundaries, conflicts of interest, dual and multiple relationships, self-disclosure, gifts, social and digital interactions, practitioner-client relationships outside the clinical setting, and other circumstances in which professional roles can become complicated or unclear.
Using contemporary case examples, participants will examine how ethical standards apply in increasingly complex practice environments and develop practical strategies for identifying risk, thinking through difficult decisions, documenting appropriately, and protecting both clients and clinicians.
Whether you attended Dr. Reamer’s previous GWSCSW presentation or are joining us for the first time, this updated program will provide a timely look at the boundary issues clinicians are navigating today.
Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify common forms of boundary challenges and dual or multiple relationships in clinical social work practice.
- Differentiate between boundary crossings, boundary violations, and ethically appropriate professional interactions.
- Apply relevant ethical standards and decision-making frameworks to complex boundary and dual relationship situations.
- Evaluate ethical risks associated with technology, social media, telehealth, self-disclosure, gifts, and contact outside the clinical setting.
- Develop strategies for consultation, documentation, risk management, and ethical decision-making when boundary concerns arise.
About the Presenter:
Dr. Frederic Reamer has dedicated his career to reforming the ethics, practice, and education of the social work field through his work as a researcher, an author, and a professor. His extensive experience in ethics research has helped NASW and the social work profession as a whole over the years. Reamer is a professor in the graduate program at the Rhode Island College School of Social Work, where he has taught since 1983. Over the years, his research has focused on a variety of human service issues, ranging from mental health and criminal justice to public welfare and professional ethics. Reamer has been a featured essayist on NPR’s Morning Edition, a commentator on NPR’s All Things Considered, and a guest on a variety of radio broadcasts on stations across the country. Starting in 2007, Reamer began as the host and producer of This I Believe – Rhode Island on NPR and Rhode Island Public Radio. He was featured as a commentator in the documentaries “America’s Serial Killers: Portraits of Evil” and “Rampage: Killing without Reason”. Reamer has appeared as an expert on the PBS series This Emotional Life. He has distinguished himself as an expert in the ethical use of technology within social work, and gave the keynote presentation “Managing Social Media and Electronic Communication in Social Work Practice: Ethical and Risk-management Issues” at the 2012 Association of Social Work Boards’ Education Conference, which introduced social work regulators to the ethical, practice and regulatory challenges posed by the quick rise of technology.
Career Highlights:
Dr. Reamer has previously worked as the Director of the National Juvenile Justice Assessment Center at the US Department of Justice in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention from 1979 to 1981, as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Governor of Rhode Island from 1987 to 1990, and as a Commissioner of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation from 1987 to 1995. He served on the Rhode Island Parole Board from 1992 to 2016. Reamer was the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Social Work Education from 1990 to 1994, Associate Editor of the NASW Encyclopedia of Social Work (20th Edition) and is currently an Associate Editor of the Encyclopedia of Social Work Online. He has lectured around the world on professional ethics, professional malpractice, and liability, including presenting at the 2014 NASW National Conference. Reamer has participated in research projects sponsored by many groups including The Hastings Center, the Carnegie Corporation, the Haas Foundation, and the Scattergood Program for the Applied Ethics of Behavioral Healthcare at the Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania.
Biographic Data:
Dr. Reamer received his BA in Criminology from the University of Maryland in 1974, his Masters in Social Sciences from the University of Chicago in 1975, and his PhD in Social Work from the University of Chicago in 1978.
Significant Achievements & Awards Received:
Dr. Reamer received the "Distinguished Contributions to Social Work Education" award from the Council on Social Work Education (1995); Presidential Award from the National Association of Social Workers (1997); Richard Lodge Prize from Adelphi University for “outstanding contributions to the development of social work theory” (2005); Edith Abbott Award from the University of Chicago for “distinguished service to society and outstanding contributions at the local, national or international levels” (2005); Neil J. Houston, Jr. Memorial Award for “dedicated service and citizen contribution toward the criminal justice profession and the public interest” (2009); International Rhoda G. Sarnat Award from the National Association of Social Workers for significantly advancing "the public image of social work" (2012), and the Excellence in Ethics Award from the National Association of Social Workers (2015).
