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Chapter NineChapter Nine

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Ethical ConsiderationsEthical Considerations

Codes of ethicsCodes of ethics

Competence and responsibilityCompetence and responsibility

ConfidentialityConfidentiality

Clients’ rights Clients’ rights

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Ethical PrinciplesEthical Principles

AutonomyAutonomy

NonmaleficenceNonmaleficence

BeneficenceBeneficence

JusticeJustice

FidelityFidelity

VeracityVeracity

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AutonomyAutonomy

This represents the commitment to respect This represents the commitment to respect a client’s right to define his or her own a client’s right to define his or her own problemproblem

This serves to foster self-determination This serves to foster self-determination and support for client independenceand support for client independence

Remember Remember empowermentempowerment

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NonmaleficenceNonmaleficence

This means that the professional will not This means that the professional will not cause the client harmcause the client harm

In providing service the professional will In providing service the professional will not take risks that might bring to the client not take risks that might bring to the client

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BeneficenceBeneficence

This defines an act in someone’s best This defines an act in someone’s best interestinterest

This is client focus and acts with the This is client focus and acts with the client’s best interest in mindclient’s best interest in mind

This also means occasionally opposing This also means occasionally opposing other interestsother interests

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JusticeJustice

This means that the profession will act to This means that the profession will act to promote equality of access for clientspromote equality of access for clients

The profession is intentional fair in all The profession is intentional fair in all interactionsinteractions

The profession adheres to principles of The profession adheres to principles of nondiscriminationnondiscrimination

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FidelityFidelity

This means to honor the trust a clients This means to honor the trust a clients place in their helperplace in their helper

It works to avoid the erosion of that trustIt works to avoid the erosion of that trust

It mean that the profession works to fulfill It mean that the profession works to fulfill and maintain their responsibility toward and maintain their responsibility toward clientsclients

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VeracityVeracity

Professionals are honest with clientsProfessionals are honest with clients

The professional is committed to providing The professional is committed to providing clients with all the information they needclients with all the information they need

It also means the providing of fair and It also means the providing of fair and honest feedbackhonest feedback

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Codes of EthicsCodes of Ethics

Goals or aims of professionGoals or aims of profession

Protection for clientProtection for client

Guidelines for professional behaviorGuidelines for professional behavior

Professional identityProfessional identity

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Codes of Ethics: Purpose and Codes of Ethics: Purpose and LimitationsLimitations

The primary purpose of for a code of The primary purpose of for a code of ethics is to establish guidelines for ethics is to establish guidelines for professional behavior and to assist professional behavior and to assist members of a profession in establishing a members of a profession in establishing a professional identityprofessional identity

They can serve as a benchmark in the They can serve as a benchmark in the enforcement of ethical standardsenforcement of ethical standards

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Codes of Ethics: Purpose and Codes of Ethics: Purpose and LimitationsLimitations

Codes of ethics do have limitations; they Codes of ethics do have limitations; they cannot foresee or address every issuecannot foresee or address every issue

Once again, however, they do provide a Once again, however, they do provide a frame work for ethical behavior in generalframe work for ethical behavior in general

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Codes of Ethics: Purpose and Codes of Ethics: Purpose and LimitationsLimitations

While a code of ethics may include a While a code of ethics may include a confidentiality provision it cannot confidentiality provision it cannot supersede legal obligations as stated by a supersede legal obligations as stated by a legislative bodylegislative body

California Supreme Courts, in Tarasoff California Supreme Courts, in Tarasoff (1976) has ruled that there is a duty to (1976) has ruled that there is a duty to warn potential victims of dangerwarn potential victims of danger

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Ethics andEthics and

The professionThe profession

The lawThe law

Diversity Diversity

TechnologyTechnology

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Codes of Ethics and the Codes of Ethics and the ProfessionProfession

Codes of ethics usually provide a means Codes of ethics usually provide a means for a profession to police itselffor a profession to police itself

This self-regulation usually provides for This self-regulation usually provides for two types of discipline related to a violationtwo types of discipline related to a violation– InformalInformal– FormalFormal

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Codes of Ethics and the Codes of Ethics and the ProfessionProfession

Informal discipline is seen in the subtle Informal discipline is seen in the subtle and not-so-subtle ways in which and not-so-subtle ways in which colleagues exert pressure on one another colleagues exert pressure on one another to encourage the appropriate ethical to encourage the appropriate ethical behaviorbehavior

Formal discipline is generally public and a Formal discipline is generally public and a professional may be censured or barred professional may be censured or barred from the professionfrom the profession

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Codes of Ethics and the LawCodes of Ethics and the Law

The law is generally supportive or, at the The law is generally supportive or, at the very least, neutral toward ethical codesvery least, neutral toward ethical codes

The law does, however, intervene and The law does, however, intervene and override an ethical code to protect the override an ethical code to protect the publics health, safety, and welfarepublics health, safety, and welfare

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Codes of Ethics and DiversityCodes of Ethics and Diversity

The Ethical Standards of Human Service The Ethical Standards of Human Service Professionals has a preamble stating:Professionals has a preamble stating:

– [The need for] “an appreciation of human [The need for] “an appreciation of human beings in all their diversity”beings in all their diversity”

– This essentially requires the knowledge This essentially requires the knowledge necessary to provide each client with necessary to provide each client with “respect, acceptance, and dignity…”“respect, acceptance, and dignity…”

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Codes of Ethics and Codes of Ethics and TechnologyTechnology

The ever increasing use of technology has The ever increasing use of technology has created a number of concerns for the created a number of concerns for the Human Services ProfessionalHuman Services Professional– The most obvious areas of concern deal with The most obvious areas of concern deal with

confidentiality and the multitude of electronic confidentiality and the multitude of electronic means of communicationmeans of communication

– The Web, teleconferencing, voice mail, email, The Web, teleconferencing, voice mail, email, etc. present points of concernetc. present points of concern

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CompetenceCompetence

Academic trainingAcademic training

Practical trainingPractical training

Supervised experienceSupervised experience

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ResponsibilityResponsibility

Protect clientsProtect clients

Support professionSupport profession

Promote justicePromote justice

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ConfidentialityConfidentiality

Privileged communicationPrivileged communication

Relative confidentialityRelative confidentiality

Concerns about technologyConcerns about technology

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Clients’ RightsClients’ Rights

Right to privacyRight to privacy

Informed consentInformed consent

Professional disclosure Professional disclosure statementstatement

ProtectionProtection

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Ethical Decision MakingEthical Decision Making

Moral responsiblenessMoral responsibleness

ModelModel–Identify problemIdentify problem

–ConsultConsult

–Explore optionsExplore options

–Choose and actChoose and act