Lunch and Learn: Safe Harbor Agreements

JUNE LUNCH & LEARN

MN Board of CLE - approved

The panel will cover what is included in a Safe Harbor Contract/Agreement and when it may be used, from both a legal and a therapeutic perspective.  They will discuss what types of information may be protected, and share some examples of how the use of such an agreement may impact a case.  There will be time for questions from participants.  

Panelists:  Judge Patrick Robben; Ana Lewis, MA, LMFT; Thomas A. Pearson, J.D.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this 1 hour 15 minute panel discussion, participants will be able to:

1.  Create a Safe Harbor Agreement that can be easily understood by clients, other therapists, attorneys, and judicial officers.

2.  Provide options to clients when both parents are not available to approve a Safe Harbor Agreement.

3. Clearly articulate and apply the limitations of a Safe Harbor Agreement when working with other mental health or Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) professionals.

4. Develop protocols for parents who decline Safe Harbor Agreements.

Panelist Bios:

Judge Patrick D. Robben is an officer in the Fourth Judicial District, appointed by Governor Tim Pawlenty in Dec. 2010 and elected in 2012, 2018 and 2024. He is a graduate of Kansas State University (B.A. cum laude, 1995) and received the degree of J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1998.  Prior to his appointment to the bench, he served as General Counsel to Governor Pawlenty 2009-2010.  He was a presiding judge in Family Court from June 2016-April 2019 and presently serves in Civil Court.  He has served on the boards of both the ADR Ethics Board and the Minnesota District Judges Association. 

Ana Lewis is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has worked at Change Inc. with young children, school-age children, teens and adults since 2012.  She is bilingual in English and Spanish.  Ana is trained in Level 1 Internal Family Systems (IFS), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Brainspotting, and DC-05 Early Childhood Intervention.  Ana is client-centered and solution-focused and believes the client has the answers they need to get them through their problems, while her role is to facilitate the process.  Since 2019 she has been a Minnesota Board approved Supervisor and works to support Masters-level therapists to licensure.  Change, Inc. provides multiple services including therapy to support underserved populations and address the challenges of systemic poverty and racism that prevent Twin Cities families from achieving their full potential. 

Thomas A. Pearson, Esq., practices law in Minnesota in the areas of regulatory defense and

administrative procedure. He is a 1975 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, and he earned his law degree from the University of Denver in 1978. He has been practicing law in Minnesota since 1978.

Mr. Pearson has extensive experience in civil litigation and in administrative law proceedings, including

numerous jury trials, bench trials, disciplinary and licensing proceedings, and appellate advocacy. His practice is focused on representing health professionals in matters involving licensing, disciplinary investigations and business planning and practice. Mr. Pearson served on the ethics committee of the American Psychological Association and has served as counsel to Minnesota Psychological Association and Coordinator of its legal consultation service.