The Ethical Therapist: What's New in Illinois Mental Health (3.0 CEU)
Friday, October 24, 2025 • 9:00am - 1:00pm

Graciously hosted by
International Brotherhood of Electric Workers Union Local Chapter 701!

Thank You to Our Generous Food Sponsors

Join us for this exciting event!

This engaging 3-hour CEU-approved training is designed for Illinois-licensed mental health professionals seeking a deeper understanding of ethical practice in today’s evolving clinical landscape. Through real-world case discussions and practical tools, participants will explore current Illinois laws, professionals standards and emerging ethical issues in telehealth, social media, AI use, and culturally responsive care.

Emphasis will be placed on managing risk, maintaining boundaries, and cultivating therapist self-awareness as essential components of ethical decision-making. Ideal for clinicians with intermediate experience across licensure types.

PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES:

• Identify recent updates to Illinois mental health law, including changes in license portability, mandated reporting, and telehealth regulations.
• Apply risk management strategies to common ethical challenges, including documentation, termination, and responding to subpoenas.
• Analyze ethical implications of therapist self-disclosure, dual relationships, and the use of AI or social media in clinical practice.
• Demonstrate increased self-awareness of personal and cultural factors that may impact ethical decision-making and client relationships.
• Evaluate the ethical responsibilities of Illinois-licensed therapists in promoting social justice, equity, and culturally responsive care.

PRESENTER

Valerie Jencks, LMFT, LCPC
Owner and Executive Director -
Prairie Family Therapy

Valerie Jencks is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Clinical Professional Counselor with over 30 years of experience in private practice. Known for her expertise in ethics, supervision, and systems-based practice, she has served as a regulatory leader, educator, and advocate for ethical excellence in clinical work. Valerie is the founder of Prairie Family Therapy, a culturally responsive, trauma-informed practice grounded in family systems theory. She brings a dynamic, accessible teaching style to complex topics like legal compliance, practitioner identity, and risk management.

REGISTRATION RATES:

NIEAPA Members - FREE

As part of your membership benefit, all Chapter Meetings are free! Members are allowed to share one free pass with a guest. We invite you to share this pass to connect and build relationships with friends and colleagues.

Non-Members - $40
Other EAPA Members - $10 (discount code required)
Students - FREE (discount code required)

MEMBER NOTE:  To receive your complimentary member rate, NO PROMO CODE REQUIRED! Simply enter the email address associated with your NIEAPA membership. If you cannot remember your email address contact the NIEAPA office at board@nieapa.org

Discount codes are available for students and other EAPA members. To receive the discount code, please contact the NIEAPA office at board@nieapa.org.