Ethics Violation Analysis

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School

Grand Canyon University *

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Course

350

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

May 29, 2024

Type

docx

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Uploaded by MinisterGalaxy13352

Ethics Violation Analysis Madison Linderman College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Grand Canyon University SWK-350: Social Work Ethics and Decision-Making Instructor Pearce May 12th, 2024 1

Ethics Violation Analysis The website I chose to explore is the Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) in the state of California. This board is responsible for licensing and regulating mental health professionals including Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). The board receives complaints, investigates allegations of misconduct, and takes disciplinary action when necessary to protect the public. The process used by the BBS can be summarized in a few steps; receipt of complaint, review , investigation , disciplinary proceedings and appeals. During the first step the process begins when a complaint or report of an ethical violation is received. This can be from a client, colleague, or other interested party. The complainant is required to provide a detailed account of the alleged violation, including any supporting documents. The second step, review, is when the complaint is then reviewed by the board's enforcement unit to determine if it falls within the board's jurisdiction and if there is sufficient evidence to warrant an investigation. The next step is investigation. If the board decides to proceed, an investigation will be conducted. This may involve interviews with the complainant, the accused social worker, and any other relevant parties. It may also involve a review of any relevant records or documents. The fourth step is disciplinary proceedings. If the investigation reveals that a violation has occurred, the board may decide to take disciplinary action. This can include a variety of sanctions, ranging from a reprimand to suspension or revocation of the social worker's license. The last step is appeals . This is where the social worker has the right to appeal any disciplinary action taken by the board. The appeal process involves a hearing before an administrative law judge, who will make a recommendation to the board. The board then makes the final decision on the matter. Their 2

decision-making model seems to closely correlate to Reamers methodology; Identify the ethical issues, identify, identify all possible courses of action, examine the reasons, consult with other colleagues and experts, make the decision and document the process that led us to make it and monitor. One violation case that I found on the BBS website involved a licensed clinical social worker who was found to have violated several standards and principles of the profession. The social worker was accused of having a dual relationship with a client, which involved providing therapy sessions to the client while also having a personal relationship with them. This is a clear violation of the NASW Code of Ethics, which states that social workers should avoid dual relationships that could impair professional judgment or increase the risk of harm to clients. The board decided to suspend the social worker's license for a period of two years, with the suspension stayed on the condition that the social worker complete a series of remedial actions including additional training and supervision. The board used the NASW Code of Ethics as a guide in their decision-making process, particularly the principle that social workers should respect the boundaries between professional and personal relationships. “ Social workers should not engage in dual or multiple relationships with clients or former clients in which there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the client” (NASW, n.d). I agree with the board's actions in this case. The violation was serious and could have potentially caused significant harm to the client. The board's decision to suspend the license, but also provide a pathway for the social worker to continue their professional development and 3

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