American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy

Code of Ethics

Lizzete Arreola-Ugalde, Denise Dunlop, Victor Robledo

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)

● Honor● Trust● Ethical Standards

AAMFT History● Founded in 1942● A professional association for the field of Marriage and Family therapy● Over 50,000 Marriage and Family therapist in the U. S., Canada, and abroad● Members must meet the rigorous standards for education and training● Members are held to the highest ethical standards of the profession

Mission StatementThe AAMFT Research and Education Foundation exist to advance research, scholarship, and education related to the practice of relational and systemic therapies; elevate the status of the marriage and family therapy profession; create a multi-disciplinary environment and home for marriage and family therapy professionals; and build a culture of philanthropy within the AAMFT community.

Code Revision ● The AAMFT was revised on July 1, 2012

● Expected to be revised on January 1, 2015

Purpose/Goals● Honor the public trust in marriage and family therapists by

setting standards for ethical practice as described in this Codes.

● Respect the rights of those persons seeking their assistance, and make reasonable efforts to ensure that their services are used appropriately.

Core values/principlesCompetence

● Pursue the knowledge through training, education, or supervised experience

Privacy and Confidentiality● Therapist must respect and guard each individual clients privacy● Therapist must store, safeguard, and dispose of client records in accord with applicable laws and professional

standards to maintain the clients confidentiality

Integrity● Adhere to the applicable laws, ethics, and professional standards at all times

Equal Treatment● In all therapeutic relationships when there is more than one person in a session

Major topic areas covered● Responsibility to Clientsrespect the right of those wanting assistance

● Confidentialityrespect and guard the confidences of each individual client

Obligatory/AspirationalObligatory

● Code of ethics is binding on the members of AAMFT.

● Therapist don't use their professional relationships with clients to further their own interest.

AAMFT vs other codes ASCA -American School Counselor Association

● School counselors● They are advocates, leaders, collaborates, and consultants

CRC-Certified Rehabilitation Counselors● Clients defined as individuals affected by a disability, functional limitation, or medical condition● Rehabilitation counselors and clients work together and mutually agree upon rehabilitation and counseling plans

AAMFT● Avoid multiple relationships with clients that could impair professional judgment● Marriage and therapists deal with the welfare of families and individuals who are seeking

seeking their assistance

Changes for the Code● MFT businesses can withhold information for

non payment

● It is not mandated that the counselor provide clients the code of ethics

ReferencesAmerican Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.aamft.org/iMIS15/AAMFT/

Code of Ethics. (2014) Retrieved from http://aamft.org/iMIS/AAMFT/Content/legal_ethics/code_ofEthics.aspx

Raines, J. C., & Dibble, N. T. (2011). Rank Your Ethical Values. In Ethical decision making in schoolmental health (pp5-6). New York: Oxford University Press.