Ethical Standards For Mental Health Service Providers

In this step, it is extremely important for the counselor to see if the situation that the client is facing contains ethics. The counselor must be able to gather all the required information and get more understanding about the problem the client is facing. This can only done by strengthening the relationship with the client, if the client is able to trust you, he/she would be willing to tell you what they are facing. After the client is done describing the problem that they are facing, the counselor

When I entered this class I did not know anything about ethics or what it meant. I learned so many thing that it would take to long to list them all. I do understand the Ethics Code and the Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. That is one think I will have to always have with me and if I need to have a cheat sheet to look back on as I move forward. My biggest challenge was my grammar as I need to continue to work on this through out my life. I learned this was a problem for me through my assignments but am working on it. I hope some day it will come natural for me. This class was my biggest challenge as in terms of a grade. Because of this I learned that I have things to work on to improve myself moving forward.

Although sometimes constraints make it impossible to choose a perfect setting, it is important to, where possible, consider privacy. Privacy is one of the keys to good communication, as the client is likely to be disclosing information of a confidential and sensitive nature (Argyle 1998).

To have good ethical practice within counselling it is important that there are boundaries and contracts in place that are agreed to and understood by both the counsellor and the client.

According to the ethical and legal principles of the counseling profession, it is our morally professional responsibility to break confidentiality in order to eliminate the possibilities of chaos, to the best of our ability. The American Counseling Association (ACA) code of ethics explains adherence to confidentiality in a number of instances. In standard A.2.e., Mandated Clients, it describes the requirements for informing mandated clients of the limitations to confidentiality and, should an issue arise, to whom the revealed information must be shared with. This rule applies to all clients. The counselor’s responsibility to do so must be conveyed to the clients at the very beginning of the counseling relationship, with periodic reminders throughout sessions, and include the dangers involved if the client refuses to participate in the mandated sessions. ACA code of ethics further explains in standard B.1.c., Respect for Confidentiality, that counselors are to guard “confidential information” and “disclose” this “information only with appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical jurisdiction.” Therapists must also “identify situations” where breaches can void or challenge confidentiality (ACA, 2014, B.1.d., p. 7).

At the start of each new counselling session it is important that a contract is set out between the client and

The AASECT ethical code that I can relate to the most is competence and integrity. Competence and integrity relates to a counselor’s responsibility for the consequences of their acts, by commission or omission, and making reasonable efforts for provision of all professional services in an adequate and appropriate manner (Long, Burnett, & Thomas, 2006). As human sexuality counselors, I believe that it is critical for us to maintain client’s confidentiality by ensuring the information obtained from clients is used for counseling purposes only and is kept private and confidential. This can only be done through competent practice and maintenance of professional integrity.

Professionalism is one of the most important aspects of counseling. Lacking professionalism may potentially cause harm to the client. In my opinion, professionalism begins and ends with the code of ethics. I feel that if you abide by the code of ethics you have nothing worry about regarding professionalism. The code of ethics summarizes the standards of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality. A counselor is supposed to abide by the legal and moral standards of the community (Grold, 1996). All professionals should dress

Autonomy. Hai’s mental state is altered with the manifestations of delusions and hallucinations making him incapable of deciding for himself. His ability to practice his autonomy and refusal of medical treatment is deemed invalid due to his mental illness.

The 2014 ACA Code of Ethics provides structure that protects clients. Responsibilities that counselors to be aware of is avoid imposing their own values, attitudes and beliefs on clients (Ethics, 2014). Developing a relationship with clients requires providing counseling in a culturally sensitive manner (Ethics, 2014). Counselors respect the diversity of clients take measures to ensure that they are not of risk of imposing their values onto clients (Ethics, 2014).

There are at least 10 significant struggles and/or ethical violations discussed in the book. Read the book, choose three ethical issues or violations, and cover:

Ethical principles and virtues give mental health professions guidelines to follow to police their behaviors. Do no harm, respect autonomy, be just and pure excellences are some of the principles and virtues. Purse excellence is described in my textbook, Ethics in Psychology and the Mental Health Professions: Standards and Cases, as maintaining competence, doing your best, and taking pride in your work. (Koocher & Keith-Spiegal, 2008)

Both the ACA (2005) and AACC (2004) code of ethics require the counselor to maintain client confidentiality to the fullest extent. Working in the counseling field, trust is a rock in the foundational of a helping relationship and confidentially plays a large role in the client counselor relationship. Both codes share similarities regarding their stance on confidentiality. When counseling others, a counselor is to inform their clients about their commitment to confidentiality as well as their limits before

This is also stated in subsection 1-421 of the AACC code of ethics (AACC Law and Ethics Committee, 2004, p 12). However, the ACA guidelines with regards to this area are more comprehensive and clearly stated than the AACC guidelines. Section B of the ACA code of ethics provides guidelines on how a counselor can maintain client confidentiality in various circumstances such as incapacity of client, when treatment calls for services with others and even in consulting other counselors (American Counseling Association, 2005, p 7-9). On the other hand, the guidelines of the AACC are more limited in scope as can be seen in Section ES1-400 (AACC Law and Ethics Committee, 2004, p 11-13).

Workers should respect clients’ right to privacy. Workers should not seek private information from clients unless it is crucial to providing services or conducting work evaluation or research.