[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-329032-105":59,"doc-detail-329032-en":131},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":124,"head_meta":126,"extra_data":128,"updated_unix":130},105,"en","guidelines-for-writing-letters-and-offering-professional-opinions","Guidelines for Writing Letters and Offering Professional Opinions","","Guidelines for Writing Letters and Offering Professional Opinions explains how MFTs should handle client requests to write letters used to secure benefits or pursue life goals. It provides a legal, regulatory, and ethical framework for letter writing and professional recommendations in legal proceedings. The material reviews the governing standards, including the Standard of Care, MFT scope of practice, and scope of competence, and highlights consequences when conduct falls below required professional expectations.",{"@graph":69,"@context":123},[70,84,106],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/guidelines-for-writing-letters-and-offering-professional-opinions/329032/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/guidelines-for-writing-letters-and-offering-professional-opinions/329032.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"\tWilliam","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-04","2026-09-21",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":105},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",15,{"@type":107,"mainEntity":108},"FAQPage",[109,115,119],{"name":110,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":112},"What is the main purpose of writing letters on a client’s behalf as an MFT?","Question",{"text":113,"@type":114},"The document explains that clients may request a letter to support a benefit, opportunity, or personal goal. It emphasizes understanding the legal, regulatory, and ethical rules governing whether and how to provide such letters in a professional capacity.","Answer",{"name":116,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":117},"Why is understanding the Standard of Care important for MFT letter writing?",{"text":118,"@type":114},"It states that the Standard of Care is a legal concept describing the level of attentiveness and care owed under certain circumstances. It also warns that the standard applies to everything performed in one’s professional capacity, not only letter writing.",{"name":120,"@type":111,"acceptedAnswer":121},"How do scope of practice and scope of competence affect what an MFT may do?",{"text":122,"@type":114},"The material links compliance to how scope of practice and scope of competence are defined by statutes and regulations. It stresses the duty to act within the scope of practice and avoid performing services beyond one’s competence.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":125,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":127,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":129,"site_id":62},329032,1790456103,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":132},{"doc_id":129,"user_id":133,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":134,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":135,"file_id":136,"file_url":137,"file_type":138,"file_size":139,"view_count":105,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":140,"language":141,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":142,"faqs":143,"seo_title":144,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":145,"read_time":146,"preview_page_count":4},5909887254083,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_276721f389ce27ea32af1340a28f341c","􀂃  \nGuidelines for Writing Letters and Offering Professional Opinions  \nBy Alain Montgomery, JD CAMFT Staff Attorney  \nDISCLAIMER  \n􀂃The information presented in this workshop is for educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for independent legal advice.  \nGOALS & INTENTIONS FOR TODAY  \nTo give you the information you need to:  \n􀂃 Make well-informed and legally and ethically sound decisions, and  \n􀂃 Provide a framework that will help you formulate strategies so that you know what legal & ethical precepts to rely on when a client requests that you write a letter on their behalf. Ultimately, the goal is to give you information that will help you arrive at the decision to either write a letter or decline the client’s request for a letter with as much equanimity as possible.  \n􀂃 To explain the boundaries around rendering professional opinions in legal proceedings.  \nWe are going to:  \n􀂃 Review the legal, regulatory and ethical standards that apply to letter writing and rendering professional opinions.  \n􀂃 Identify relevant sections of the CAMFT Code of Ethics that address issues related to writing letters and offering professional opinions.  \n􀂃 Discuss the considerations that will help you Identify whether or not it is within your scope of practice and competence to write various types of letters.  \n􀂃 Identify the types of letters that therapists are most commonly asked to write.  \n􀂃 Review best practices.  \nI. Introduction   \nAs a therapist you may be asked by a client to write a letter on the client’s behalf that the client intends to use to support the client’s request to obtain a benefit, to avail themselves of a specific opportunity or to achieve a goal in their life.  \nHowever, the client’s request may be unrelated to the therapeutic work you do with the client. BUT, because you are a licensed mental healthcare provider who is qualified to make certain determinations, the client – and/or the individual or entity responsible for making a decision based on the client’s request – may want your professional insight, opinion or recommendation.  \nThus, it is important to understand the distinct legal, regulatory, ethical standards and rules that pertain to writing letters and offering opinions while acting in your professional capacity.  \nII. Applicable Legal, Regulatory,  \nEthical Standards and Rules for MFT’s  \nThe reason it is important to understand the applicable legal, regulatory and ethical standards that are relevant to your profession is so you remain in compliance with the standards when you write a letter or render a professional opinion. These standards include:  \n\n|  |  |  |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n|  | of Care |  |\n|  |  |  |\n\nThe Standard  \n\n|  | MFT Scope of Practice & Scope of Competence |  |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n|  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |\n\n\n|  | CAMFT Ethical Standards |  |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n|  |  |  |\n|  |  |  |\n\nThe Standard of Care  \n􀂃 The “Standard of Care“(SOC) is a legal term  not a health care term. The SOC refers to the level of attentiveness and care that one person owes to another person under certain circumstances.  \n􀂃 As a licensed professional you are subject to a professional (or higher) standard of care. A professional standard of care applies to a professional who offers services to a client or patient. As a MFT you must exercise the reasonable degree of skill, knowledge and care that is ordinarily exercised by other members in your same professional community when practicing under similar circumstances.[Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed. & Cal Jury Instruction 501]  \n􀂃  Critical Reminder: The  \nstandard of care applies to everything you do in your professional capacity not just letter writing  \nWhat Happens when a MFT’s Conduct Falls Below the Standard of Care?  \n􀂃Under Cal. Bus. and Prof. Code, Section 4982(d): A Board registrant or licensee whose conduct falls below the standard of care is liable for “gross negligence or incompetence in the performance of marriage and family th","cbCaicgwNd37NnyV","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaicgwNd37NnyV","pdf",482847,57,"English","# Goals & Intentions for Today\n# I. Introduction\n# II. Applicable Legal, Regulatory, Ethical Standards and Rules for MFTs\n## The Standard of Care\n## MFT Scope of Practice & Scope of Competence\n### MFT Scope of Practice\n### MFT Scope of Competence","[{\"question\":\"What is the main purpose of writing letters on a client’s behalf as an MFT?\",\"answer\":\"The document explains that clients may request a letter to support a benefit, opportunity, or personal goal. It emphasizes understanding the legal, regulatory, and ethical rules governing whether and how to provide such letters in a professional capacity.\"},{\"question\":\"Why is understanding the Standard of Care important for MFT letter writing?\",\"answer\":\"It states that the Standard of Care is a legal concept describing the level of attentiveness and care owed under certain circumstances. It also warns that the standard applies to everything performed in one’s professional capacity, not only letter writing.\"},{\"question\":\"How do scope of practice and scope of competence affect what an MFT may do?\",\"answer\":\"The material links compliance to how scope of practice and scope of competence are defined by statutes and regulations. It stresses the duty to act within the scope of practice and avoid performing services beyond one’s competence.\"}]","Guidelines for Writing Letters and Offering Professional Opinions | PDF",1789982134,144]