Continuing Education At Home
Professional Counselor - MFT - NBCC
Ethics
Credits
0.5 NBCC CE credit hours training
Cost
$6.00
CEUnits is working on renewing our NBCC approval and is NOT a current NBCC provider.
See Accreditations - click here
See Accreditations - click here
Target audience and instructional level of this course: foundational
There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support related to this CE program.
Course Description
This course is not available for NBCC credit
This course briefly reviews key legal and ethical issues in psychotherapy. It is primarily intended for psychotherapists, but will be useful for any mental health professional. Participants will appreciate that the coverage ranges from concrete, specific guidelines to overarching legal and ethical principles that guide clinical decision making. Numerous topics are reviewed with additional detail on confidentiality, boundaries, and records.
There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support related to this CE program.
Course Description
This course is not available for NBCC credit
This course briefly reviews key legal and ethical issues in psychotherapy. It is primarily intended for psychotherapists, but will be useful for any mental health professional. Participants will appreciate that the coverage ranges from concrete, specific guidelines to overarching legal and ethical principles that guide clinical decision making. Numerous topics are reviewed with additional detail on confidentiality, boundaries, and records.
Client Welfare
The primary responsibility of social workers is to respect the dignity and to promote the welfare of their clients. Social workers encourage client growth and development in ways that foster the client's interest and welfare; Social workers avoid fostering dependent counseling relationships.
Social workers and their clients work jointly in devising integrated, individual counseling plans that offer reasonable promise of success and are consistent with abilities and circumstances of clients. Social workers and clients regularly review counseling plans to ensure their continued viability and effectiveness, respecting client's freedom of choice. Social workers recognize that families are usually important in client's lives and strive to enlist family understanding and involvement as a positive resource, when appropriate. Social workers work with their clients in considering employment in jobs and circumstances that are consistent with the clients overall abilities, vocational limitations, physical restrictions, general temperament, interest and aptitude patterns, social skills, education, general qualifications, and other relevant characteristics and needs. Social workers neither place nor participate in placing clients in positions that will result in damaging the interest and the welfare of clients, employers, or the public.
Competence
Social workers cannot practice outside of their scope of practice. This means that they must only practice in areas in which they have been trained. Scope of practice is defined for the entire profession, whereas scope of competence is different for each individual therapist.
Respecting Diversity
Social workers do not condone or engage in discrimination based on age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status. Social workers will actively attempt to understand the diverse cultural backgrounds of the clients with whom they work. This includes, but is not limited to; learning how the Social workers own cultural/ethnic/racial identity impacts her or his values and beliefs about the counseling process.
Client Rights
When counseling is initiated, and throughout the counseling process as necessary, social workers informs their clients of the purposes, goals, techniques, procedures, limitations, potential risks, and benefits of services to be performed, and other pertinent information. Social workers take steps to ensure that clients understand the implications of diagnosis, the intended use of tests and reports, fees, and billing arrangements.
A therapist must disclose their fee prior to the beginning of the first session, preferably prior to the first session. A therapist working for an organization must disclose the name of the owner of any fictitious business name. Clients have the right to expect confidentiality and to be provided with an explanation of its limitations, including supervision and/or treatment team professionals; to obtain clear information about their case records; to participate in the ongoing counseling plans; and to refuse any recommended services and be advised of the consequences of such refusal. Social workers offer clients the freedom to choose whether to enter into a counseling relationship and to determine which professionals will provide counseling. Restrictions that limit choices of clients are fully explained. When counseling minors or persons unable to give voluntary informed consent, social workers act in the clients best interests. Confidentiality
Social workers respect their client's right to privacy and avoid illegal and unwarranted disclosures of confidential information. The right to privacy may be waived by the client or his or her legally recognized representative. The general requirement that social workers keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is required to prevent clear and imminent danger to the client or others or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed. Social workers consult with other professionals when in doubt as to the validity of an exception.
When court ordered to release confidential information without the client's permission, social workers request to the court that the disclosure not be required due to potential harm to the client or counseling relationship.
When circumstances require the disclosure of confidential information, only essential information is revealed. To the extent possible, clients are informed before confidential information is disclosed. When counseling is initiated and throughout the counseling process as necessary, social workers need to inform their clients of the limitations of confidentiality and identify foreseeable situations in which confidentiality must be breached. Social workers make every effort to ensure that privacy and confidentiality of clients are maintained by subordinates including employees, supervisees, clerical assistants, and volunteers. If client treatment will involve a continued review by a treatment team, the client will be informed of the team's existence and composition.
Groups and Families
In group work, social workers clearly define confidentiality for the specific group, explain its importance, and discuss the difficulties related to confidentiality involved in group work. The fact that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed is clearly communicated to group members. In family counseling, information about one family member cannot be disclosed to another member without permission. Social workers protect the privacy rights of each family member.
Minor or Incompetent Clients
When counseling clients who are minors or individuals who are unable to give informed consent voluntary, parents or guardians may be included in the counseling process if appropriate. Social workers act in the best interests of the clients and take care to safeguard their confidentiality.
Records?
Social workers maintain records necessary for rendering professional services to their clients and as required by laws, regulations, or agency or institution procedures.
Social workers are responsible for securing the safety and confidentiality of any counseling records they create, maintain, transfer, or destroy whether the records are written, taped, computerized, or stored in any other medium.
Social workers obtain permission from clients prior to electronically recording or observing sessions. Social workers recognize that counseling records are kept for the benefit of clients, and therefore provide access to records and copies of records when requested by competent clients, unless the records contain information that may be misleading and detrimental to the client. In situations involving multiple clients, access to records is limited to those parts of records that do not include confidential information related to another client.
Social workers must obtain written permission from clients to disclose or transfer records to legitimate third parties unless exceptions to confidentiality exist. Steps are taken to ensure that receivers of counseling records are sensitive to their confidential nature.
Parents, generally have access to their child's records, unless:
Clients Served by Others
If a client is receiving services from another mental health professional, social workers, with client consent, inform the professional persons already involved and develop clear agreements to avoid confusion and conflict for the client.
Personal Needs and Values In the counseling relationship, Social workers are aware of the intimacy and responsibilities in the counseling relationship, maintain respect for clients, and avoid actions that seek to meet their personal needs at the expense of clients. Social workers are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and how these apply in a diverse society, and avoid imposing their values on clients. Dual Relationships
Social workers are aware of their influential positions with respect to clients, and they avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of clients. Social workers make every effort to avoid dual relationships with clients that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of harm to clients. Examples of such relationships include, but are not limited to, familial, social, financial, business, or close personal relationships with clients. When a dual relationship cannot be avoided, Social workers take appropriate professional precautions such as informed consent, consultation, supervision, and documentation to ensure that judgment is not impaired and no exploitation occurs.
Social workers do not accept superiors or subordinates with whom they have administrative, supervisory, or evaluative relationships as clients.
Sexual Intimacies with Clients
?Social workers do not have any type of sexual intimacies with clients and do not counsel persons with whom they have had a sexual relationship.
Multiple Clients?
When social workers agree to provide counseling services to two or more persons who have a relationship, such as husband and wife, or parents and children, social workers clarify at the outset which person or persons are clients and the nature of the relationships they will have with each involved person. If it becomes apparent that social workers may be called upon to perform potentially conflicting roles, they clarify, adjust, or withdraw from roles appropriately.
Group Work
Social workers screen prospective group counseling/therapy participants. To the extent possible, social workers select members whose needs and goals are compatible with goals of the group, who will not impede the group process, and whose well-being will not be jeopardized by the group experience. In a group setting, social workers take reasonable precautions to protect clients from physical or psychological trauma.
Fees and Bartering
Social workers clearly explain to clients, prior to entering the counseling relationship, all financial arrangements related to professional services including the use of collection agencies or legal measures for nonpayment. ?In establishing fees for professional counseling services, social workers consider the financial status of clients and locality. In the event that the established fee structure is inappropriate for a client, assistance is provided in attempting to find comparable services of acceptable cost. ?Social workers ordinarily refrain from accepting goods or services from clients in return for counseling services because such arrangements create inherent potential for conflicts, exploitation, and distortion of the professional relationship. Social workers may participate in bartering only if the relationship is not exploitative, if the client requests it, if a clear written contract is established, and if such arrangements are an accepted practice among professionals in the community. However, bartering can be complicated and therefore may become unethical. ?Social workers contribute to society by devoting a portion of their professional activity to services for which there is little or no financial return (pro bono).
Termination and Referral
Social workers do not abandon or neglect clients in counseling. Social workers assist in making appropriate arrangements for the continuation of treatment, when necessary, during interruptions such as vacations, and following termination. If social workers determine an inability to be of professional assistance to clients, they avoid entering or immediately terminate a counseling relationship. Social workers are knowledgeable about referral resources and suggest appropriate alternatives. If clients decline the suggested referral, Social workers should discontinue the relationship.
Social workers terminate a counseling relationship (securing client agreement when possible), when it is reasonably clear that the client is no longer benefiting, when services are no longer required, when counseling no longer serves the clients needs or interests, when clients do not pay fees charged, or when agency or institution limits do not allow provision of further counseling services.
Computer Technology
When computer applications are used in counseling services, social workers ensure that: the client is intellectually, emotionally, and physically capable of using the computer application; the computer application is appropriate for the needs of the client; the client understands the purpose and operation of the computer applications; and a follow-up of client use of a computer application is provided to correct possible misconceptions, discover inappropriate use, and assess subsequent needs.
Research and Training
Use of data derived from counseling relationships for purposes of training, research, or publication is confined to content that is disguised to ensure the anonymity of the individuals involved. Identification of a client in a presentation or publication is permissible only when the client has reviewed the material and has agreed to its presentation or publication.
Professional Responsibility
Social workers have a responsibility to read, understand, and follow the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice.
Professional Competence
Social workers practice only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, state and national professional credentials, and appropriate professional experience. Social workers will demonstrate a commitment to gain knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity, and skills pertinent to working with a diverse client population. Social workers practice in specialty areas new to them only after appropriate education, training, and supervised experience. While developing skills in new specialty areas, Social workers take steps to ensure the competence of their work and to protect others from possible harm.
Social workers accept employment only for positions for which they are qualified by education, training, supervised experience, state and national professional credentials, and appropriate professional experience. Social workers hire for professional counseling positions only individuals who are qualified and competent.
Social workers continually monitor their effectiveness as professionals and take steps to improve when necessary. Social workers in private practice take reasonable steps to seek out peer supervision to evaluate their effectiveness as social workers. Social workers take reasonable steps to consult with other social workers or related professionals when they have questions regarding their ethical obligations or professional practice. Social workers recognize the need for continuing education to maintain a reasonable level of awareness of current scientific and professional information. They take steps to maintain competence in the skills they use, are open to new interventions, and keep current with the diverse populations that they work with. Social workers refrain from offering or accepting professional services when their physical, mental, or emotional problems are likely to harm a client or others. They are alert to the signs of impairment, seek assistance for problems, and, if necessary, limit, suspend, or terminate their professional responsibilities.
Credentials
Social workers claim or imply only professional credentials possessed and are responsible for correcting any known misrepresentations of their credentials by others. Professional credentials include graduate degrees in counseling or closely related mental health fields, accreditation of graduate programs, national voluntary certifications, government-issued certifications or licenses, or any other credential that might indicate to the public specialized knowledge or expertise in counseling. Social workers follow the guidelines for use of credentials that have been established by the entities that issue the credentials. Social workers do not attribute more to their credentials than the credentials represent, and do not imply that other social workers are not qualified because they do not possess certain credentials. Social workers who hold a master's degree in counseling or a closely related mental health field, but hold a doctoral degree from other than counseling or a closely related field, can not use the title "Dr." in their practices and do not announce to the public in relation to their practice or status as a therapist that they hold a doctorate.
Public Responsibility
Social workers do not discriminate against clients, students, or supervisees in a manner that has a negative impact based on their age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, or for any other reason. Social workers do not engage in sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as sexual solicitation, physical advances, or verbal or nonverbal conduct that is sexual in nature, that occurs in connection with professional activities or roles, and that either is unwelcome, is offensive, or creates a hostile workplace environment, and social workers know or are told this; or is sufficiently severe or intense to be perceived as harassment to a reasonable person in the context. Sexual harassment can consist of a single intense or severe act or multiple persistent or pervasive acts. Social workers are accurate, honest, and unbiased in reporting their professional activities and judgments to appropriate third parties including courts, health insurance companies, those who are the recipients of evaluation reports, and others. When Social workers provide advice or comment by means of public lectures, demonstrations, radio or television programs, prerecorded tapes, printed articles, mailed material, or other media, they take reasonable precautions to ensure that: the statements are based on appropriate professional counseling literature and practice; the statements are otherwise consistent with the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice; and the recipients of the information are not encouraged to infer that a professional counseling relationship has been established.
Social workers do not use their professional positions to seek or receive unjustified personal gains, sexual favors, unfair advantage, or unearned goods or services.
Responsibility to Other Professionals
Social workers are respectful of approaches to professional counseling that differ from their own. Social workers know and take into account the traditions and practices of other professional groups with which they work.
When making personal statements in a public context, Social workers clarify that they are speaking from their personal perspectives and that they are not speaking on behalf of all social workers or the profession. When Social workers learn that their clients are in a professional relationship with another mental health professional, they request release from clients to inform the other professionals and strive to establish positive and collaborative professional relationships.
Relationships with Employers and Employees
Social workers define and describe for their employers and employees their job description and the levels of their professional roles. Social workers establish working agreements with supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates regarding counseling or clinical relationships, confidentiality, and adherence to professional standards, distinction between public and private material, maintenance and dissemination of recorded information, work load, and accountability. Working agreements in each instance are specified and made known to those concerned.
Social workers alert their employers to conditions that may be potentially disruptive or damaging to the therapist's professional responsibilities or that may limit their effectiveness. Social workers submit regularly to professional review and evaluation by their supervisor or the appropriate representative of the employer. Social workers are responsible for in-service development of self and staff. Social workers inform their staff of goals and programs. Social workers provide personnel and agency practices that respect and enhance the rights and welfare of each employee and recipient of agency services. Social workers strive to maintain the highest levels of professional services.
Social workers select competent staff and assign responsibilities compatible with their skills and experiences. Social workers, as either employers or employees, do not engage in or condone practices that are inhumane, illegal, or unjustifiable (such as considerations based on age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status) in hiring, promotion, or training. Social workers have a responsibility both to clients and to the agency or institution within which services are performed to maintain high standards of professional conduct. Social workers do not engage in exploitative relationships with individuals over whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or instructional control or authority. The acceptance of employment in an agency or institution implies that social workers are in agreement with its general policies and principles. Social workers strive to reach agreement with employers as to acceptable standards of conduct that allow for changes in institutional policy conducive to the growth and development of clients.
Informed Consent
Prior to assessment, Social workers explain the nature and purposes of assessment and the specific use of results in language the client (or other legally authorized person on behalf of the client) can understand, unless an explicit exception to this right has been agreed upon in advance. Regardless of whether scoring and interpretation are completed by social workers, by assistants, or by computer or other outside services, social workers take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate explanations are given to the client.
The examinee's welfare, explicit understanding, and prior agreement determine the recipients of test results. Social workers include accurate and appropriate interpretations with any release of individual or group test results.
Proper Diagnosis of Mental Disorders
Social workers take special care to provide proper diagnosis of mental disorders. Assessment techniques (including personal interview) used to determine client care (e.g., locus of treatment, type of treatment, or recommended follow-up) are carefully selected and appropriately used. Social workers recognize that culture affects the manner in which clients' problems are defined. Clients' socioeconomic and cultural experience is considered when diagnosing mental disorders.
The primary responsibility of social workers is to respect the dignity and to promote the welfare of their clients. Social workers encourage client growth and development in ways that foster the client's interest and welfare; Social workers avoid fostering dependent counseling relationships.
Social workers and their clients work jointly in devising integrated, individual counseling plans that offer reasonable promise of success and are consistent with abilities and circumstances of clients. Social workers and clients regularly review counseling plans to ensure their continued viability and effectiveness, respecting client's freedom of choice. Social workers recognize that families are usually important in client's lives and strive to enlist family understanding and involvement as a positive resource, when appropriate. Social workers work with their clients in considering employment in jobs and circumstances that are consistent with the clients overall abilities, vocational limitations, physical restrictions, general temperament, interest and aptitude patterns, social skills, education, general qualifications, and other relevant characteristics and needs. Social workers neither place nor participate in placing clients in positions that will result in damaging the interest and the welfare of clients, employers, or the public.
Competence
Social workers cannot practice outside of their scope of practice. This means that they must only practice in areas in which they have been trained. Scope of practice is defined for the entire profession, whereas scope of competence is different for each individual therapist.
Respecting Diversity
Social workers do not condone or engage in discrimination based on age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status. Social workers will actively attempt to understand the diverse cultural backgrounds of the clients with whom they work. This includes, but is not limited to; learning how the Social workers own cultural/ethnic/racial identity impacts her or his values and beliefs about the counseling process.
Client Rights
When counseling is initiated, and throughout the counseling process as necessary, social workers informs their clients of the purposes, goals, techniques, procedures, limitations, potential risks, and benefits of services to be performed, and other pertinent information. Social workers take steps to ensure that clients understand the implications of diagnosis, the intended use of tests and reports, fees, and billing arrangements.
A therapist must disclose their fee prior to the beginning of the first session, preferably prior to the first session. A therapist working for an organization must disclose the name of the owner of any fictitious business name. Clients have the right to expect confidentiality and to be provided with an explanation of its limitations, including supervision and/or treatment team professionals; to obtain clear information about their case records; to participate in the ongoing counseling plans; and to refuse any recommended services and be advised of the consequences of such refusal. Social workers offer clients the freedom to choose whether to enter into a counseling relationship and to determine which professionals will provide counseling. Restrictions that limit choices of clients are fully explained. When counseling minors or persons unable to give voluntary informed consent, social workers act in the clients best interests. Confidentiality
Social workers respect their client's right to privacy and avoid illegal and unwarranted disclosures of confidential information. The right to privacy may be waived by the client or his or her legally recognized representative. The general requirement that social workers keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is required to prevent clear and imminent danger to the client or others or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed. Social workers consult with other professionals when in doubt as to the validity of an exception.
When court ordered to release confidential information without the client's permission, social workers request to the court that the disclosure not be required due to potential harm to the client or counseling relationship.
When circumstances require the disclosure of confidential information, only essential information is revealed. To the extent possible, clients are informed before confidential information is disclosed. When counseling is initiated and throughout the counseling process as necessary, social workers need to inform their clients of the limitations of confidentiality and identify foreseeable situations in which confidentiality must be breached. Social workers make every effort to ensure that privacy and confidentiality of clients are maintained by subordinates including employees, supervisees, clerical assistants, and volunteers. If client treatment will involve a continued review by a treatment team, the client will be informed of the team's existence and composition.
Groups and Families
In group work, social workers clearly define confidentiality for the specific group, explain its importance, and discuss the difficulties related to confidentiality involved in group work. The fact that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed is clearly communicated to group members. In family counseling, information about one family member cannot be disclosed to another member without permission. Social workers protect the privacy rights of each family member.
Minor or Incompetent Clients
When counseling clients who are minors or individuals who are unable to give informed consent voluntary, parents or guardians may be included in the counseling process if appropriate. Social workers act in the best interests of the clients and take care to safeguard their confidentiality.
Records?
Social workers maintain records necessary for rendering professional services to their clients and as required by laws, regulations, or agency or institution procedures.
Social workers are responsible for securing the safety and confidentiality of any counseling records they create, maintain, transfer, or destroy whether the records are written, taped, computerized, or stored in any other medium.
Social workers obtain permission from clients prior to electronically recording or observing sessions. Social workers recognize that counseling records are kept for the benefit of clients, and therefore provide access to records and copies of records when requested by competent clients, unless the records contain information that may be misleading and detrimental to the client. In situations involving multiple clients, access to records is limited to those parts of records that do not include confidential information related to another client.
Social workers must obtain written permission from clients to disclose or transfer records to legitimate third parties unless exceptions to confidentiality exist. Steps are taken to ensure that receivers of counseling records are sensitive to their confidential nature.
Parents, generally have access to their child's records, unless:
- Minor has access to the records
- It would have a detrimental effect on the relationship
- It would have a detrimental effect on the child's safety or psychological wellness.
- If a patient asks to see his records you can refuse, offer a treatment summary or let them see your records. If you choose to release a summary to the client, court or any other request, you should include: Chief complaints, Pertinent history, diagnosis, referrals, treatment plan, prognosis, tests, and progress When releasing records or summaries you should always have the client's permission in writing. You can only refuse to let your client see your records only if you think it would be detrimental to your client. If you refuse to show your client their records you must document the date of refusal, the reason for the refusal and that you chose to refuse your client access to the records. If a client tells you that another therapist had sex with them, you can give them the booklet, Therapy Never Includes Sex. There is no duty for you to report this kind of activity.
Clients Served by Others
If a client is receiving services from another mental health professional, social workers, with client consent, inform the professional persons already involved and develop clear agreements to avoid confusion and conflict for the client.
Personal Needs and Values In the counseling relationship, Social workers are aware of the intimacy and responsibilities in the counseling relationship, maintain respect for clients, and avoid actions that seek to meet their personal needs at the expense of clients. Social workers are aware of their own values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors and how these apply in a diverse society, and avoid imposing their values on clients. Dual Relationships
Social workers are aware of their influential positions with respect to clients, and they avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of clients. Social workers make every effort to avoid dual relationships with clients that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of harm to clients. Examples of such relationships include, but are not limited to, familial, social, financial, business, or close personal relationships with clients. When a dual relationship cannot be avoided, Social workers take appropriate professional precautions such as informed consent, consultation, supervision, and documentation to ensure that judgment is not impaired and no exploitation occurs.
Social workers do not accept superiors or subordinates with whom they have administrative, supervisory, or evaluative relationships as clients.
Sexual Intimacies with Clients
?Social workers do not have any type of sexual intimacies with clients and do not counsel persons with whom they have had a sexual relationship.
Multiple Clients?
When social workers agree to provide counseling services to two or more persons who have a relationship, such as husband and wife, or parents and children, social workers clarify at the outset which person or persons are clients and the nature of the relationships they will have with each involved person. If it becomes apparent that social workers may be called upon to perform potentially conflicting roles, they clarify, adjust, or withdraw from roles appropriately.
Group Work
Social workers screen prospective group counseling/therapy participants. To the extent possible, social workers select members whose needs and goals are compatible with goals of the group, who will not impede the group process, and whose well-being will not be jeopardized by the group experience. In a group setting, social workers take reasonable precautions to protect clients from physical or psychological trauma.
Fees and Bartering
Social workers clearly explain to clients, prior to entering the counseling relationship, all financial arrangements related to professional services including the use of collection agencies or legal measures for nonpayment. ?In establishing fees for professional counseling services, social workers consider the financial status of clients and locality. In the event that the established fee structure is inappropriate for a client, assistance is provided in attempting to find comparable services of acceptable cost. ?Social workers ordinarily refrain from accepting goods or services from clients in return for counseling services because such arrangements create inherent potential for conflicts, exploitation, and distortion of the professional relationship. Social workers may participate in bartering only if the relationship is not exploitative, if the client requests it, if a clear written contract is established, and if such arrangements are an accepted practice among professionals in the community. However, bartering can be complicated and therefore may become unethical. ?Social workers contribute to society by devoting a portion of their professional activity to services for which there is little or no financial return (pro bono).
Termination and Referral
Social workers do not abandon or neglect clients in counseling. Social workers assist in making appropriate arrangements for the continuation of treatment, when necessary, during interruptions such as vacations, and following termination. If social workers determine an inability to be of professional assistance to clients, they avoid entering or immediately terminate a counseling relationship. Social workers are knowledgeable about referral resources and suggest appropriate alternatives. If clients decline the suggested referral, Social workers should discontinue the relationship.
Social workers terminate a counseling relationship (securing client agreement when possible), when it is reasonably clear that the client is no longer benefiting, when services are no longer required, when counseling no longer serves the clients needs or interests, when clients do not pay fees charged, or when agency or institution limits do not allow provision of further counseling services.
Computer Technology
When computer applications are used in counseling services, social workers ensure that: the client is intellectually, emotionally, and physically capable of using the computer application; the computer application is appropriate for the needs of the client; the client understands the purpose and operation of the computer applications; and a follow-up of client use of a computer application is provided to correct possible misconceptions, discover inappropriate use, and assess subsequent needs.
Research and Training
Use of data derived from counseling relationships for purposes of training, research, or publication is confined to content that is disguised to ensure the anonymity of the individuals involved. Identification of a client in a presentation or publication is permissible only when the client has reviewed the material and has agreed to its presentation or publication.
Professional Responsibility
Social workers have a responsibility to read, understand, and follow the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice.
Professional Competence
Social workers practice only within the boundaries of their competence, based on their education, training, supervised experience, state and national professional credentials, and appropriate professional experience. Social workers will demonstrate a commitment to gain knowledge, personal awareness, sensitivity, and skills pertinent to working with a diverse client population. Social workers practice in specialty areas new to them only after appropriate education, training, and supervised experience. While developing skills in new specialty areas, Social workers take steps to ensure the competence of their work and to protect others from possible harm.
Social workers accept employment only for positions for which they are qualified by education, training, supervised experience, state and national professional credentials, and appropriate professional experience. Social workers hire for professional counseling positions only individuals who are qualified and competent.
Social workers continually monitor their effectiveness as professionals and take steps to improve when necessary. Social workers in private practice take reasonable steps to seek out peer supervision to evaluate their effectiveness as social workers. Social workers take reasonable steps to consult with other social workers or related professionals when they have questions regarding their ethical obligations or professional practice. Social workers recognize the need for continuing education to maintain a reasonable level of awareness of current scientific and professional information. They take steps to maintain competence in the skills they use, are open to new interventions, and keep current with the diverse populations that they work with. Social workers refrain from offering or accepting professional services when their physical, mental, or emotional problems are likely to harm a client or others. They are alert to the signs of impairment, seek assistance for problems, and, if necessary, limit, suspend, or terminate their professional responsibilities.
Credentials
Social workers claim or imply only professional credentials possessed and are responsible for correcting any known misrepresentations of their credentials by others. Professional credentials include graduate degrees in counseling or closely related mental health fields, accreditation of graduate programs, national voluntary certifications, government-issued certifications or licenses, or any other credential that might indicate to the public specialized knowledge or expertise in counseling. Social workers follow the guidelines for use of credentials that have been established by the entities that issue the credentials. Social workers do not attribute more to their credentials than the credentials represent, and do not imply that other social workers are not qualified because they do not possess certain credentials. Social workers who hold a master's degree in counseling or a closely related mental health field, but hold a doctoral degree from other than counseling or a closely related field, can not use the title "Dr." in their practices and do not announce to the public in relation to their practice or status as a therapist that they hold a doctorate.
Public Responsibility
Social workers do not discriminate against clients, students, or supervisees in a manner that has a negative impact based on their age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status, or for any other reason. Social workers do not engage in sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as sexual solicitation, physical advances, or verbal or nonverbal conduct that is sexual in nature, that occurs in connection with professional activities or roles, and that either is unwelcome, is offensive, or creates a hostile workplace environment, and social workers know or are told this; or is sufficiently severe or intense to be perceived as harassment to a reasonable person in the context. Sexual harassment can consist of a single intense or severe act or multiple persistent or pervasive acts. Social workers are accurate, honest, and unbiased in reporting their professional activities and judgments to appropriate third parties including courts, health insurance companies, those who are the recipients of evaluation reports, and others. When Social workers provide advice or comment by means of public lectures, demonstrations, radio or television programs, prerecorded tapes, printed articles, mailed material, or other media, they take reasonable precautions to ensure that: the statements are based on appropriate professional counseling literature and practice; the statements are otherwise consistent with the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice; and the recipients of the information are not encouraged to infer that a professional counseling relationship has been established.
Social workers do not use their professional positions to seek or receive unjustified personal gains, sexual favors, unfair advantage, or unearned goods or services.
Responsibility to Other Professionals
Social workers are respectful of approaches to professional counseling that differ from their own. Social workers know and take into account the traditions and practices of other professional groups with which they work.
When making personal statements in a public context, Social workers clarify that they are speaking from their personal perspectives and that they are not speaking on behalf of all social workers or the profession. When Social workers learn that their clients are in a professional relationship with another mental health professional, they request release from clients to inform the other professionals and strive to establish positive and collaborative professional relationships.
Relationships with Employers and Employees
Social workers define and describe for their employers and employees their job description and the levels of their professional roles. Social workers establish working agreements with supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates regarding counseling or clinical relationships, confidentiality, and adherence to professional standards, distinction between public and private material, maintenance and dissemination of recorded information, work load, and accountability. Working agreements in each instance are specified and made known to those concerned.
Social workers alert their employers to conditions that may be potentially disruptive or damaging to the therapist's professional responsibilities or that may limit their effectiveness. Social workers submit regularly to professional review and evaluation by their supervisor or the appropriate representative of the employer. Social workers are responsible for in-service development of self and staff. Social workers inform their staff of goals and programs. Social workers provide personnel and agency practices that respect and enhance the rights and welfare of each employee and recipient of agency services. Social workers strive to maintain the highest levels of professional services.
Social workers select competent staff and assign responsibilities compatible with their skills and experiences. Social workers, as either employers or employees, do not engage in or condone practices that are inhumane, illegal, or unjustifiable (such as considerations based on age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status) in hiring, promotion, or training. Social workers have a responsibility both to clients and to the agency or institution within which services are performed to maintain high standards of professional conduct. Social workers do not engage in exploitative relationships with individuals over whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or instructional control or authority. The acceptance of employment in an agency or institution implies that social workers are in agreement with its general policies and principles. Social workers strive to reach agreement with employers as to acceptable standards of conduct that allow for changes in institutional policy conducive to the growth and development of clients.
Informed Consent
Prior to assessment, Social workers explain the nature and purposes of assessment and the specific use of results in language the client (or other legally authorized person on behalf of the client) can understand, unless an explicit exception to this right has been agreed upon in advance. Regardless of whether scoring and interpretation are completed by social workers, by assistants, or by computer or other outside services, social workers take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate explanations are given to the client.
The examinee's welfare, explicit understanding, and prior agreement determine the recipients of test results. Social workers include accurate and appropriate interpretations with any release of individual or group test results.
Proper Diagnosis of Mental Disorders
Social workers take special care to provide proper diagnosis of mental disorders. Assessment techniques (including personal interview) used to determine client care (e.g., locus of treatment, type of treatment, or recommended follow-up) are carefully selected and appropriately used. Social workers recognize that culture affects the manner in which clients' problems are defined. Clients' socioeconomic and cultural experience is considered when diagnosing mental disorders.
