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Comprehensive Exam Review
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Professional
Orientation
Part 2
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Ethical Standards
Counselors must act within legal and ethical
parameters. These parameters are defined by
laws, litigation precedents, official policies,
and ethical standards of practice.
Counseling essentially is a self-regulating
profession because most practices are not
governed by laws. Counselors use ethical
codes to guide their conduct and practice.
Most counselors adhere to the American
Counseling Association Code of Ethics and
Standards of Practice. Ethical codes are
voluntarily self-imposed behavioral
guidelines to which members subscribe.
Violations of ACA ethical codes can result in
expulsion from membership in ACA. Many
states have adopted the ACA Code of Ethics
for licensed counselors, meaning that violations of the code can be violations of the law.
Important Legal and Ethical Concepts and
Responsibilities:
Autonomy - clients have the right to make their
own decisions.
Beneficence - counselors should work for the
good of the clients.
Nonmaleficence - counselors should do no harm.
Justice - clients have the right to be treated fairly.
Scope of Practice - Counselors limit their practice
to those techniques, clients, and concerns for
which they have been adequately trained and are
qualified to perform. Many licensure laws require
counselors to disclose their scope of practice to
potential clients.
Confidentiality - Clients have the right to
expect that what they share in counseling will
not be shared with others.
Informed Consent - Clients voluntarily agree
to counseling only after being informed about
the services counselors offer. It includes
coverage of benefits, possible harm, and
limitations. If clients are minors, then
parents or legal guardians must consent.
Duty to Warn - If a client presents imminent
danger to herself or himself or others, the
counselor must contact responsible parties to
prevent harm.
Dual Relationship - A dual relationship exists
when the counselor simultaneously tries to
maintain with a client a counseling relationship
and another type of relationship, such as spouse,
relative, business partner, teacher or supervisor,
or sexual partner. Dual relationships are
potentially harmful to clients because the
counselor cannot remain objective and the client
does not have autonomy.
Malpractice - The techniques the counselor
uses causes real harm to the client.
Privileged Communications - Many state laws
state that counselors cannot disclose what is said
in counseling without prior permission of the
client. There are exceptions in the case of child
abuse, court orders, or suspected harm to the
client or others.
Abandonment - This situation exists when a
counselor ceases to provide necessary counseling
services to a client and fails to provide for
alternative services through a referral.
Defamation - A counselor who divulges
information that causes damage to someone's
reputation might be sued for defamation. If
the defamatory statements are written, it is
libel; if spoken, they are slander.
Bartering - This is the act of trading goods or
services, rather than money, for provision of
counseling services. Bartering is strongly
discouraged as a method of payment for
counseling services rendered.
ACA (then APGA) first adopted its own ethical
standards in 1959. Prior to that, members
subscribed to ethical standards of other associations, primarily the American Psychological
Association (APA).
The current ACA Code of Ethics and Standards
of Practice were adopted in April, 1995. There
are two components: the Code of Ethics and the
Standards of Practice.
The ACA Standards of Practice contain
general principles for the effective and
ethical practice of various aspects of the
counseling profession.
The ACA Code of Ethics contains specific
points of attention for ethical counseling
practice.
Both the Standards of Practice and the Code
of Ethics are divided into the following
sections:
A. The Counseling Relationship
B. Confidentiality
C. Professional Responsibility
D. Relationships with Other Professionals
E. Evaluation, Assessments, and Interpretation
F. Teaching, Training, and Supervision
G. Research and Publication
H. Resolving Ethical Issues
It is important to remember that the ACA
Standards of Practice are ideals to which each
counselor should aspire.
Evaluation of actual counselor behaviors relative to the Standards of Practice are often made
in reference to specific ethical standards.
Because the Standards of Practice represent
the “best thinking” in the counseling
profession about how counselors are to
conduct their counseling-related activities,
they are presented here in their entirety.
American Counseling Association
Standards of Practice
Section A: The Counseling Relationship
SP-1 Nondiscrimination - Counselors respect
diversity and must not discriminate against
clients because of age, color, culture, disability,
ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual
orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic
status.
SP-2 Disclosure to Clients - Counselors must
adequately inform clients, preferably in
writing, regarding the counseling process and
counseling relationship at or before the time it
begins and throughout the relationship.
SP-3 Dual Relationships - Counselors must make
every effort to avoid dual relationships with
clients that could impair their professional
judgment or increase the risk of harm to clients.
When a dual relationship cannot be avoided,
counselors must take appropriate steps to ensure
that judgment is not impaired and that no
exploitation occurs.
SP-4 Sexual Intimacies with Clients - Counselors
must not engage in any type of sexual intimacies
with current clients and must not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients within a minimum of two years after terminating the counseling relationship. Counselors who engage in
such relationship after two years following
termination have the responsibility to thoroughly
examine and document that such relations did not
have an exploitative nature.
SP-5 Protecting Clients During Group Work Counselors must take steps to protect clients
from physical or psychological trauma
resulting from interactions during group
work.
SP-6 Advance Understanding of Fees Counselors must explain to clients, prior to
their entering the counseling relationship,
financial arrangements related to professional
services.
SP-7 Termination - Counselors must assist in
making appropriate arrangements for the
continuation of treatment of clients, when
necessary, following termination of counseling
relationships.
SP-8 Inability to Assist Clients - Counselors
must avoid entering or immediately terminating
a counseling relationship if it is determined that
they are unable to be of professional assistance
to a client. The counselor may assist in making
an appropriate referral for the client.
Section B: Confidentiality
SP-9 Confidentiality Requirement - Counselors
must keep information related to counseling
services confidential unless disclosure is in the best
interest of clients, is required for the welfare of
others, or is required by law. When disclosure is
required, only information that is essential is
revealed and the client is informed of such
disclosure.
SP-10 Confidentiality Requirements for
Subordinates - Counselors must take measures
to ensure that privacy and confidentiality of
clients are maintained by subordinates.
SP-11 Confidentiality in Group Work Counselors must clearly communicate to group
members that confidentiality cannot be
guaranteed in group work.
SP-12 Confidentiality in Family Counseling Counselors must not disclose information about
one family member in counseling to another
family member without prior consent.
SP-13 Confidentiality of Records - Counselors
must maintain appropriate confidentiality in
creating, storing, accessing, transferring, and
disposing of counseling records.
SP-14 Permission to Record or Observe Counselors must obtain prior consent from
clients in order to electronically record or
observe sessions.
SP-15 Disclosure or Transfer of Records Counselors must obtain client consent to
disclose or transfer records to third parties,
unless exceptions listed in SP-9 exist.
SP-16 Data Disguise Required - Counselors
must disguise the identity of the client when
using data for training, research, or
publication.
Section C: Professional Responsibility
SP-17 Boundaries of Competence Counselors must practice only within the
boundaries of their competence.
SP-18 Continuing Education - Counselors
must engage in continuing education to
maintain their professional competence.
SP-19 Impairment of Professionals Counselors must refrain from offering
professional services when their personal
problems or conflicts may cause harm to a
client or others.
SP-20 Accurate Advertising - Counselors
must accurately represent their credentials
and services when advertising.
SP-21 Recruiting Through Employment Counselors must not use their place of
employment or institutional affiliation to recruit
clients for their private practices.
SP-22 Credentials Claimed - Counselors must
claim or imply only professional credentials
possessed and must correct any known
misrepresentations of their credentials by
others.
SP-23 Sexual Harassment - Counselors
must not engage in sexual harassment.
SP-24 Unjustified Gains - Counselors must
not use their professional positions to seek or
receive unjustified personal gains, sexual
favors, unfair advantage, or unearned goods
or services.
SP-25 Clients Served by Others - With the consent
of the client, counselors must inform other mental
health professionals serving the same client that a
counseling relationship between the counselor and
client exists.
SP-26 Negative Employment Conditions Counselors must alert their employers to
institutional policy or conditions that may be
potentially disruptive or damaging to the
counselor's professional responsibilities, or
that may limit their effectiveness or deny
clients' rights.
SP-27 Personnel Selection and Assignment Counselors must select competent staff and
must assign responsibilities compatible with
staff skills and experiences.
SP-28 Exploitive Relationships with
Subordinates - Counselors must not engage in
exploitive relationships with individuals over
whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or
instructional control or authority.
Section D: Relationship With Other Professionals
SP-29 Accepting Fees from Agency Clients Counselors must not accept fees or other
remuneration for consultation with persons
entitled to such services through the counselor's
employing agency or institution.
SP-30 Referral Fees - Counselors must not
accept referral fees.
Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and
Interpretation
SP-31 Limits of Competence - Counselors must
perform only testing and assessment services for
which they are competent. Counselors must not
allow the use of psychological assessment
techniques by unqualified persons under their
supervision.
SP-32 Appropriate Use of Assessment
Instruments - Counselors must use assessment
instruments in the manner for which they were
intended.
SP-33 Assessment Explanations to Clients Counselors must provide explanations to
clients prior to assessment about the nature
and purposes of assessment and the specific
uses of results.
SP-34 Recipients of Test Results - Counselors
must ensure that accurate and appropriate
interpretations accompany any release of
testing and assessment information.
SP-35 Obsolete Tests and Outdated Test Results
- Counselors must not base their assessment or
intervention decisions or recommendations
solely on outdated data or test results.
Section F: Teaching, Training, and
Supervision
SP-36 Sexual Relationships with Students or
Supervisees - Counselors must not engage in
sexual relationships with their students and
supervisees.
SP-37 Credit for Contributions to Research Counselors must give credit to students or
supervisees for their contributions to research
and scholarly projects.
SP-38 Supervision Preparation - Counselors
who offer clinical supervision services must be
trained and prepared in supervision methods
and techniques.
SP-39 Evaluation Information - Counselors
must clearly state to students and supervisees, in
advance of training, the levels of competency
expected, appraisal methods, and timing of
evaluations. Counselors must provide students
and supervisees with periodic performance
appraisal and evaluation feedback throughout
the training program.
SP-40 Peer Relationships in Training - Counselors
must make every effort to ensure that the rights of
peers are not violated when students and
supervisees are assigned to lead counseling groups
or provide clinical supervision.
SP-41 Limitations of Students and Supervisees Counselors must assist students and supervisees
in securing remedial assistance, when needed, and
must dismiss from the training program students
and supervisees who are unable to provide
competent service due to academic or personal
limitations.
SP-42 Self-Growth Experiences - Counselors
who conduct experiences for students or
supervisees that include self-growth or self
disclosure must inform participants of
counselors' ethical obligations to the profession
and must not grade participants based on their
nonacademic performance.
SP-43 Standards for Students and Supervisees Students and supervisees preparing to become
counselors must adhere to the Code of Ethics
and the Standards of Practice of counselors.
Section G: Research and Publication
SP-44 Precautions to Avoid Injury in Research
- Counselors must avoid causing physical,
social, or psychological harm or injury to
subjects in research.
SP-45 Confidentiality of Research Information Counselors must keep confidential information
obtained about research participants.
SP-46 Information Affecting Research
Outcome - Counselors must report all
variables and conditions known to the
investigator that may have affected research
data or outcomes.
SP-47 Accurate Research Results - Counselors
must not distort or misrepresent research
data, nor fabricate or intentionally bias
research results.
SP-48 Publication Contributors - Counselors
must give appropriate credit to those who have
contributed to research.
Section II: Resolving Ethical Issues
SP-49 Ethical Behavior Expected - Counselors
must take appropriate action when they possess
reasonable cause that raises doubts as to
whether other counselors or mental health
professionals are acting in an ethical manner.
SP-50 Unwarranted Complaints - Counselors
must not mitigate, participate in, or encourage
the filing of ethics complaints that are
unwarranted or intended to harm a mental
health professional other than to protect clients
or the public.
SP-51 Cooperation with Ethics Committees Counselors must cooperate with investigations,
proceedings, and requirements of the ACA
Ethics Committee or ethics committees of other
duly constituted associations or boards having
jurisdiction over those charged with a violation.
Codes of ethics and standards of practice are
necessary, but not sufficient to answer all ethical
questions and prescribe ethical behavior.
Counselors are confronted with situations in
which several legal or ethical standards might
apply or even conflict with each other.
When deciding on a course of action, often they
must be knowledgeable of both applicable laws
and broad ethical principles.
Professional Preparation
Standards
State and national organizations (e.g., NBCC)
and agencies establish minimum training and
experiential standards for individuals seeking
licensure or certification.
In addition, some organizations, such as the
Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and
Related Educational Programs (CACREP), set
standards for programs that prepare and train
counselors.
The Association for Counselor Education and
Supervision (ACES) adopted voluntary preparation guidelines for master's-level programs in
1963.
The American School Counselor Association
adopted guidelines for training school
counselors in 1967, and the American College
Personnel Association (formerly a division of
ACA) adopted guidelines for training student
personnel workers in 1968.
In 1971, ACES formed the Commission on
Standards and Accreditation, which developed
the Standards for Preparation of Counselors
and Other Personnel Services Specialists in
1973.
In 1977, ACES adopted Guidelines for
Doctoral the Preparation in Counselor
Education.
These guidelines were revised in 1979 and
adopted by ACA in 1980.
In 1981, the Council for the Accreditation of
Counseling and Related Educational
Programs (CACREP) was formed as a nonprofit accrediting body.
Historically, professional preparation and
training of counselors has focused on identifying
characteristics of effective counselors and
specific skills training.
Today, preparation programs recognize the
importance of both.
Counselors are trained at the master's or doctoral
level. Counselor preparation programs select
applicants based upon both academic and
personal suitability.
Typically, master's-level programs require
applicants to hold a bachelor's degree with a
minimum grade point average and submit letters
of recommendation attesting to the applicant's
good character. Many programs interview
applicants to ascertain their interpersonal skills.
Most master's programs require a minimum of
36 semester hours of coursework.
There are several other organizations that offer
accreditation to programs that prepare other
types of counselors, such as the American
Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
(AAMFT) and the Council on Rehabilitation
Education (CORE).
In addition, some divisions of the American
Counseling Association (ACA) have adopted
voluntary training standards for counselors for
their respective specialty areas.
Programs accredited by the Council for the
Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs (CACREP) require a
minimum of 48 semester hours (72 quarter hours)
for master's degrees in counseling, although some
specialties require 60 semester hours.
Often, applicants are required to submit a
Graduate Record Examination score and letters
of recommendation. Some programs require
that applicants have a year or more of work
experience as a counselor, and most doctoral
programs interview candidates prior to
acceptance.
CACREP requires curricular experiences
in each of the following eight “common
core” areas:
Human Growth and Development
Social and Cultural Foundations
Helping Relationships
Group Work
Career and Lifestyle Development
Appraisal
Research and Program Evaluation
Professional Orientation
CACREP program accreditation also requires a
minimum of 100 clock hours of supervised
counseling practicum and 600 clock hours of
supervised internship at the master's level.
Some specialty areas require more hours of
supervised practice.
In addition, CACREP specifies standards for
the institution, program objectives, faculty and
staff, organization and administration, and
program evaluations.
Doctoral-level counselor preparation
programs typically require a master's degree
in counseling.
Doctoral programs prepare counselors for
counseling and supervision in agencies,
institutions, or private practice, and they
prepare counselor educators and supervisors to
work as faculty in colleges and universities.
Doctoral training typically takes 2 to 3 years of
full-time study(4 - 6 part time) and includes
advanced coursework, advanced practica and
internship, and preparation and defense of a
dissertation.
CACREP accredited doctoral programs require
advanced coursework in specified areas,
including counseling, group work, consultation,
research methodology, appraisal, diversity,
counselor education, supervision, and ethical
and legal issues.
Professional Credentialing
The main purpose of professional
credentialing is to protect the public and
assure that professionals are properly trained
and qualified.
Professions are regulated by registration,
certification, licensure, and accreditation.
A Registry is a voluntary listing of individuals
using a professional title.
Requirements for registration include a
minimal level of education and experience
and payment of a fee. It does not restrict the
use of the title. Registration without
certification or licensure affords little
protection to the public. In some countries,
registration is similar to licensure.
Certification sets minimum levels of education
and experience, but also restricts use of the title.
It does not restrict the practice of counseling so
that unqualified persons could claim to perform
counseling but call themselves certified
counselors.
School counselor certification does restrict use
of the title and of the practice of school
counseling. All states and the District of
Columbia have certification standards for
school counselors.
The most widely recognized national certification
body for counselors in the U.S. is the National
Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC).
National Certified Counselors (NCCs) must
hold a graduate degree that includes specified
coursework in counseling, have completed
supervised experience in counseling, and pass
either the National Counselor Examination for
Licensure and Certification (NCE), or the
National Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Examination (NCMHCE).
NBCC also offers the following specialty
certifications:
Certified Clinical Mental Health
Counselor (CCMHC)
National Certified School Counselor
(NCSC)
Master Addictions Counselor (MAC)
NCCs must complete 100 contact clock
hours of approved continuing education
every five years to be recertified.
Licensure is established by state law and
restricts the use of the title.
Similar to certification, licensure requires
minimum levels of education and experience,
and in some states, restricts aspects of the
practice of counseling.
Nearly all states have counselor licensure.
Licensed professional counselors (LPCs)
typically must hold at least a master's degree,
have supervised experience, and pass an
examination such as the NCE.
LPCs must submit evidence of continuing
education units (CEUs) in order to renew their
license.
Accreditation sets educational preparation
standards for a profession.
The Council for the Accreditation of
Counseling and Related Educational Programs
(CACREP) has standards covering the
training institution, program objectives and
curriculum, clinical instruction, faculty and
staff, and organization and administration.
To receive accreditation, a counselor
preparation program submits a self-study
documenting how it meets each of the specific
CACREP standards.
A team of trained reviewers visits the program
for 3 - 4 days and submits a report to the
CACREP board, which issues the accreditation
decision.
CACREP accredits the following entry-level
(master's) programs:
Community Counseling (with possible
specializations in Career Counseling or
Gerontological Counseling)
Marriage and Family Counseling
Mental Health Counseling
School Counseling
Student Affairs Practice in Higher Education
(with possible specializations in College
Counseling or Professional Practice)
In addition, CACREP accredits doctoral-level
programs in Counselor Education and
Supervision.
The emergence of certification, licensure, and
accreditation for counselors has been vital in
establishing counseling as a profession and
distinguishing it from other helping professions.
Public Policy Issues
Older professions, such as social work and
psychology, are widely recognized by the
public and have earned the right to provide
services and receive reimbursement by
government agencies and insurance
companies.
In order to compete with these professions,
counselors must earn these rights through
licensure, the inclusion of counselors and
counseling services in government policies, and
by educating insurance companies of their
ability to provide cost-effective services.
The helping professions are highly competitive.
Psychiatrists, psychologists, family therapists,
and social workers all compete with counselors
for clients, legal recognition, and reimbursement from insurance companies. School
counselors also compete with school social
workers and others to provide services.
Counselors can advocate on behalf of their
profession and their clientele by:
Becoming certified and licensed
Obeying professional standards of
ethical conduct
Practicing within their boundary of
training and expertise
Becoming active members of national,
state, and local counseling
associations
Promoting mental health and counseling
to the public
Educating the public about counseling
qualifications and services
Educating insurance companies and
health maintenance organizations
Organizing other counselors in lobbying
efforts
Lobbying government representatives
on issues affecting mental health
and counseling
Encouraging fellow counselors to join
professional organizations and
to obtain appropriate professional credentials
This concludes Part 2 of the
presentation on
PROFESSIONAL
ORIENTATION