The year 2020 will be remembered as many things for its impact to our “normal life”. For mental health professionals, it will for sure be remembered as the year where all of us resiliently transitioned our practice from in-person to online within a short period of time. The process may not have been smooth. However, it was a process of courage, openness and grace. 

As we figure out logistical and clinical challenges, many of us are intentional and cautious about complying to relevant mental health laws and HIPAA protection. Understanding mental health laws and its relevant adjustment as results of COVID can be costly and confusing. That is why we invited Jennifer Hansen, an attorney specializing in mental health law, to help us navigate complex state and federal mental health confidentiality laws and glean new updates regarding telehealth. 

Objectives of Workshop:

• “Best practices” tips from a mental health law attorney;
• How to ensure your release of information is compliant with federal and state laws;
• When to maintain and when to break confidentiality;
• Who has the right to inspect and copy a mental health records;
• How the pandemic has and will continue to impact telehealth

About the Speaker

JENNIFER L. HANSEN is a founding partner with the law firm Hansen & Cleary, LLC.  Ms. Hansen focuses her practice in the areas of special education law, school residency, school discipline matters, mental health law, guardianship matters, criminal and civil litigation for juveniles and adults, confidentiality issues, bullying investigations, post-secondary education matters (including appealing post-secondary dismissals), DCFS matters, and domestic relations matters as a Guardian ad Litem , Child’s Representative, and/or Attorney for the Child.  Ms. Hansen also represents select public and private schools and provides consultative services to schools and institutions in the areas of bullying investigations, employment investigations, and legislative support.  

In addition, Ms. Hansen represents mental health practitioners and mental health agencies in the areas of mental health law, HIPAA, confidentiality, IDFPR matters, and contractual issues.  Ms. Hansen is a frequent speaker in the areas of special education law, school discipline, school records, and bullying as well as in the areas of mental health law and DCFS matters.  She is also a trained mediator.  Ms. Hansen previously co-taught School Law classes for master’s level students through Aurora University and Psychiatry and the Law classes to UIC psychiatry fellows.  Prior to forming Hansen & Cleary, LLC, Ms. Hansen was a partner with Whitted Takiff + Hansen, LLC and an attorney with the Lake County Public Defender’s Office.  Ms. Hansen received her law degree from the University of Wyoming in 1998 and her LL.M. in European and Comparative Law from the Universiteit Maastricht in Maastricht, the Netherlands in 1999.  She obtained her B.A. in English and Spanish from Carthage College in 1995.