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    ACA Code of Ethics

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    Mohamad Shuhmy Shuib
    The document outlines the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics, which establishes ethical principles and responsibilities for association members. It covers important topics like client welfare and rights, diversity and inclusion, dual relationships, fees and bartering, research and publication standards, and processes for handling complaints. The code aims to enhance human development, clarify ethical responsibilities, and serve as the basis for addressing any ethical violations.

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    ACA Code of Ethics

    Uploaded by

    Mohamad Shuhmy Shuib
    2K views4 pages
    The document outlines the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics, which establishes ethical principles and responsibilities for association members. It covers important topics like client welfare and rights, diversity and inclusion, dual relationships, fees and bartering, research and publication standards, and processes for handling complaints. The code aims to enhance human development, clarify ethical responsibilities, and serve as the basis for addressing any ethical violations.

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    The document outlines the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics, which establishes ethical principles and responsibilities for association members. It covers important topics like client welfare and rights, diversity and inclusion, dual relationships, fees and bartering, research and publication standards, and processes for handling complaints. The code aims to enhance human development, clarify ethical responsibilities, and serve as the basis for addressing any ethical violations.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    2K views4 pages

    ACA Code of Ethics

    Uploaded by

    Mohamad Shuhmy Shuib
    The document outlines the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics, which establishes ethical principles and responsibilities for association members. It covers important topics like client welfare and rights, diversity and inclusion, dual relationships, fees and bartering, research and publication standards, and processes for handling complaints. The code aims to enhance human development, clarify ethical responsibilities, and serve as the basis for addressing any ethical violations.

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    The key takeaways are that counselors must respect their clients' dignity, welfare and diversity, develop counseling plans jointly with clients, and terminate services appropriately.

    Counselors' primary responsibility is to respect their clients' dignity and promote their welfare. They must encourage growth, regularly review plans, consider family and career needs, and avoid dependency.

    When working with groups, counselors screen participants and select those that are compatible and will not harm others. They also take precautions to protect clients' physical and psychological well-being.

    ACA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice

    Code of Ethics Standards of Practice References


    Policy and Procedures for Processing of Complaints of Ethical Violations

    Code of Ethics Preamble

    The American Counseling Association is an educational, scientific, and professional organization whose
    members are dedicated to the enhancement of human development throughout the life-span. Association
    members recognize diversity in our society and embrace a cross- cultural approach in support of the worth,
    dignity, potential, and uniqueness of each individual.

    The specification of a code of ethics enables the association to clarify to current and future members, and to
    those served by members, the nature of the ethical responsibilities held in common by its members. As the
    code of ethics of the association, this document establishes principles that define the ethical behavior of
    association members. All members of the American Counseling Association are required to adhere to the
    Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice. The Code of Ethics will serve as the basis for processing
    ethical complaints initiated against members of the association.

    Code of Ethics

    Section A: The Counseling Relationship


    Section B: Confidentiality
    Section C: Professional Responsibility
    Section D: Relationships With Other Professionals
    Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation
    Section F: Teaching, Training, and Supervision
    Section G: Research and Publication
    Section H: Resolving Ethical Issues

    Section A: The Counseling Relationship

    A.1. Client Welfare

    a. Primary Responsibility. The primary responsibility of counselors is to respect the dignity


    and to promote the welfare of clients.

    b. Positive Growth and Development. Counselors encourage client growth and development
    in ways that foster the clients+ interest and welfare; counselors avoid fostering dependent
    counseling relationships.

    c. Counseling Plans. Counselors 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. Counselors and clients regularly review counseling plans to
    ensure their continued viability and effectiveness, respecting clients+ freedom of choice. (See
    A.3.b.)

    d. Family Involvement. Counselors recognize that families are usually important in clients+
    lives and strive to enlist family understanding and involvement as a positive resource, when
    appropriate.

    e. Career and Employment Needs. Counselors 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.
    Counselors 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.

    A.2. Respecting Diversity

    a. Nondiscrimination. Counselors 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. (See C.5.a., C.5.b., and D.1.i.)

    b. Respecting Differences. Counselors 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 counselor+s own cultural/ethnic/racial identity impacts her or his values and
    beliefs about the counseling process. (See E.8. and F.2.i.)

    A.3. Client Rights

    a. Disclosure to Clients. When counseling is initiated, and throughout the counseling


    process as necessary, counselors inform clients of the purposes, goals, techniques, procedures,
    limitations, potential risks, and benefits of services to be performed, and other pertinent
    information.Counselors take steps to ensure that clients understand the implications of diagnosis,
    the intended use of tests and reports, fees, and billing arrangements. 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. (See E.5.a. and G.2.)

    b. Freedom of Choice. Counselors offer clients the freedom to choose whether to enter into
    a counseling relationship and to determine which professional(s) will provide counseling.
    Restrictions that limit choices of clients are fully explained. (See A.1.c.)

    c. Inability to Give Consent. When counseling minors or persons unable to give voluntary
    informed consent, counselors act in these clients+ best interests. (See B.3.)

    A.4. Clients Served by Others

    If a client is receiving services from another mental health professional, counselors, with client
    consent, inform the professional persons already involved and develop clear agreements to avoid
    confusion and conflict for the client. (See C.6.c.)

    A.5. Personal Needs and Values

    a. Personal Needs. In the counseling relationship, counselors are aware of the intimacy and
    responsibilities inherent in the counseling relationship, maintain respect for clients, and avoid
    actions that seek to meet their personal needs at the expense of clients.

    b. Personal Values. Counselors 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. (See C.5.a.)

    A.6. Dual Relationships

    a. Avoid When Possible. Counselors are aware of their influential positions with respect to clients,
    and they avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of clients. Counselors 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, counselors take appropriate professional precautions such as informed consent,
    consultation, supervision, and documentation to ensure that judgment is not impaired and no
    exploitation occurs. (See F.1.b.)

    b. Superior/Subordinate Relationships. Counselors do not accept as clients superiors or subordinates


    with whom they have administrative, supervisory, or evaluative relationships.

    A.7. Sexual Intimacies With Clients

    a. Current Clients. Counselors do not have any type of sexual intimacies with clients and do not
    counsel persons with whom they have had a sexual relationship.

    b. Former Clients. Counselors do not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients within a
    minimum of 2 years after terminating the counseling relationship. Counselors who engage in such
    relationship after 2 years following termination have the responsibility to examine and document
    thoroughly that such relations did not have an exploitative nature, based on factors such as
    duration of counseling, amount of time since counseling, termination circumstances, client+s
    personal history and mental status, adverse impact on the client, and actions by the counselor
    suggesting a plan to initiate a sexual relationship with the client after termination.

    A.8. Multiple Clients

    When counselors agree to provide counseling services to two or more persons who have a
    relationship (such as husband and wife, or parents and children), counselors 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 counselors may be called upon to perform potentially
    conflicting roles, they clarify, adjust, or withdraw from roles appropriately. (See B.2. and B.4.d.)

    A.9. Group Work

    a. Screening. Counselors screen prospective group counseling/therapy participants. To the


    extent possible, counselors 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.

    b. Protecting Clients. In a group setting, counselors take reasonable precautions to protect


    clients from physical or psychological trauma.

    A.10. Fees and Bartering (See D.3.a. and D.3.b.)

    a. Advance Understanding. Counselors 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. (A.11.c.)

    b. Establishing Fees. In establishing fees for professional counseling services, counselors


    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. (See A.10.d., D.3.a., and D.3.b.)

    c. Bartering Discouraged. Counselors 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. Counselors 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. (See A.6.a.)
    d. Pro Bono Service. Counselors contribute to society by devoting a portion of their
    professional activity to services for which there is little or no financial return (pro bono).

    A.11. Termination and Referral

    a. Abandonment Prohibited. Counselors do not abandon or neglect clients in counseling. Counselors


    assist in making appropriate arrangements for the continuation of treatment, when necessary,
    during interruptions such as vacations, and following termination.

    b. Inability to Assist Clients. If counselors determine an inability to be of professional assistance to


    clients, they avoid entering or immediately terminate a counseling relationship. Counselors are
    knowledgeable about referral resources and suggest appropriate alternatives. If clients decline the
    suggested referral, counselors should discontinue the relationship.

    c. Appropriate Termination. Counselors 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 client+s needs or interests,
    when clients do not pay fees charged, or when agency or institution limits do not allow provision
    of further counseling services. (See A.10.b. and C.2.g.)

    A.12. Computer Technology

    a. Use of Computers. When computer applications are used in counseling services, counselors ensure
    that (1) the client is intellectually, emotionally, and physically capable of using the computer
    application; (2) the computer application is appropriate for the needs of the client; (3) the client
    understands the purpose and operation of the computer applications; and (4) a follow-up of client
    use of a computer application is provided to correct possible misconceptions, discover
    inappropriate use, and assess subsequent needs.

    b. Explanation of Limitations. Counselors ensure that clients are provided information as a part of
    the counseling relationship that adequately explains the limitations of computer technology.

    c. Access to Computer Applications. Counselors provide for equal access to computer applications in
    counseling services. (See A.2.a.)

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