NCE Professional Orientation & Ethics A
ACA/NBCC ethical standards are stressed on the NCE. -
In 2005 ACA created a new Code of Ethics that is radically different from anything in the past. The
revision took place over a three-year period and was the first in a decade. Needless to say, it has
numerous updates. All ACA members are expected to adhere to the guidelines in over 20 state licensing
boards now uses document for adjudicating complaints of an ethical nature. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU
PERUSE THIS CODE PRIOR TO YOUR EXAM.
Which group has been most instrumental in opposing counselor licensure? -
psychologists. Some hypothesize that psychologists wanted a monopoly on nonmedical mental
health services, especially the right to collect third-party payments. Others point out that at one-time
psychologists were debased and called "Junior psychiatrists," and now the psychologist are doing to
counselors what psychiatrists did to them. In any case, the tide appears to be changing as "mental
health coalitions" are popping up in which psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, and
related specialist (e.g., the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AMFT members)
meet to discuss mutual professional concerns. Psychologists have now secured prescription medication
privileges in several parts of the country and both psychologists and social workers in some states are
challenging counselor's rights to diagnose clients and perform other services.
In the late 1970s, AACD (known as ACA since 1992) began to focus very heavily on professional
credentialing. This led to the formation of the: -
NBCC. In 1982, the American Association for Counseling and Development (AACD), now the
American Counseling Association, formed the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). If you
meet the educational/skill requirements and pass an exam you can use the title NCC--National Certified
Counselor. This is a generic certification. The designation lasts for five years at which time the counselor
must have 100 approved hours of continued professional development (e.g., workshops) or sit for the
test again. Other acronyms include Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor, a specialty certification
that requires taking another exam; the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs, which is an ACA affiliate formed in 1981 that certifies counselor programs rather
than individual counselors; and the major counseling organization, the American Personnel and
Guidance Association, which later became the AACD and is now the ACA.
By passing the NCE, a counselor can attain ___, given via NBCC. -
NCC, a generic certification for counselors. This is a must-know concept. The word generic literally
means "general" or "referring to all types of counselors." Key reminder: You can only secure specialty
certificate such as CCMHC and NCSC (National Certified School Counselor) after you secure that NCC
, credential. Just because you are certified does not mean you can call yourself a licensed counselor.
National certifications can be used on a national basis unlike licenses which tend to be state specific.
Licenses are conferred by the individual state and not the federal government.
This would most likely violate the counseling ethic or law termed "scope of practice:" -
a counselor who is conducting a strict Freudian psychoanalysis with the client. The "scope of
practice" concept suggests that counselors should only practice using techniques for which they have
been trained. Most counselors are not trained in classical analysis. This concept also applies that a
counselor should not attempt to treat clients for which s/he has no training. Your state counseling law
could stipulate the you disclose your "scope of practice" to all potential clients.
Ethical guidelines were first created for the helping professions in 1953 when the American
Psychological Association (APA) published their first code of ethics. The National Association of Social
Workers (NASW) created their code in 1960, and in 1961, the organization that is now ACA adopted
ethics for counselors. Ethics always describe: -
standards of conduct imposed by ACA and NBCC. Ethics defined standards of behavior set forth by
organizations and certification bodies. Ethics are not state or federally mandated laws. Unlike many
laws, ethical guidelines generally do not spell out penalties for violations. Hence, the counselor who is
dating a client might lose his/her license but will not be serving time in a city jail or a federal
penitentiary. Ethics are not universal. That is to say, the ethics set forth by one organization may not be
identical to those spelled out by another organization. HOWEVER, if your state sends you ethical
guidelines after you secure your license under state statutes, then in this instance your guidelines will be
the law.
Most ethical dilemmas are related to: -
confidentiality. Confidentiality implies that the counselor will not reveal anything about a client
unless s/he is given specific authorization to do so. Some of the literature in the field refers to
confidential material as "entrusted secrets." What goes on in the counseling relationship remains
private rather than public. Helpers must, nevertheless, be aware that there are exceptions to this
principle. The exceptions illuminate the fact that confidentiality is relative to the situation.
When does confidentiality end? -
According to ACA ethical guidelines counselors have an obligation to protect the confidentiality of
the deceased and this should be stated clearly in your informed consent document given to the client at
the beginning of treatment. In a recent article in "Counseling Today Online" several ACA ethics task force
members were asked about the issues related to this topic. Say an elderly person dies and said some
nice things about surviving family members. Could you break confidentiality and tell them generally with
the elderly person said? Yes. However, assume that a young man commits suicide and after his death his
ACA/NBCC ethical standards are stressed on the NCE. -
In 2005 ACA created a new Code of Ethics that is radically different from anything in the past. The
revision took place over a three-year period and was the first in a decade. Needless to say, it has
numerous updates. All ACA members are expected to adhere to the guidelines in over 20 state licensing
boards now uses document for adjudicating complaints of an ethical nature. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU
PERUSE THIS CODE PRIOR TO YOUR EXAM.
Which group has been most instrumental in opposing counselor licensure? -
psychologists. Some hypothesize that psychologists wanted a monopoly on nonmedical mental
health services, especially the right to collect third-party payments. Others point out that at one-time
psychologists were debased and called "Junior psychiatrists," and now the psychologist are doing to
counselors what psychiatrists did to them. In any case, the tide appears to be changing as "mental
health coalitions" are popping up in which psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors, social workers, and
related specialist (e.g., the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AMFT members)
meet to discuss mutual professional concerns. Psychologists have now secured prescription medication
privileges in several parts of the country and both psychologists and social workers in some states are
challenging counselor's rights to diagnose clients and perform other services.
In the late 1970s, AACD (known as ACA since 1992) began to focus very heavily on professional
credentialing. This led to the formation of the: -
NBCC. In 1982, the American Association for Counseling and Development (AACD), now the
American Counseling Association, formed the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC). If you
meet the educational/skill requirements and pass an exam you can use the title NCC--National Certified
Counselor. This is a generic certification. The designation lasts for five years at which time the counselor
must have 100 approved hours of continued professional development (e.g., workshops) or sit for the
test again. Other acronyms include Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor, a specialty certification
that requires taking another exam; the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs, which is an ACA affiliate formed in 1981 that certifies counselor programs rather
than individual counselors; and the major counseling organization, the American Personnel and
Guidance Association, which later became the AACD and is now the ACA.
By passing the NCE, a counselor can attain ___, given via NBCC. -
NCC, a generic certification for counselors. This is a must-know concept. The word generic literally
means "general" or "referring to all types of counselors." Key reminder: You can only secure specialty
certificate such as CCMHC and NCSC (National Certified School Counselor) after you secure that NCC
, credential. Just because you are certified does not mean you can call yourself a licensed counselor.
National certifications can be used on a national basis unlike licenses which tend to be state specific.
Licenses are conferred by the individual state and not the federal government.
This would most likely violate the counseling ethic or law termed "scope of practice:" -
a counselor who is conducting a strict Freudian psychoanalysis with the client. The "scope of
practice" concept suggests that counselors should only practice using techniques for which they have
been trained. Most counselors are not trained in classical analysis. This concept also applies that a
counselor should not attempt to treat clients for which s/he has no training. Your state counseling law
could stipulate the you disclose your "scope of practice" to all potential clients.
Ethical guidelines were first created for the helping professions in 1953 when the American
Psychological Association (APA) published their first code of ethics. The National Association of Social
Workers (NASW) created their code in 1960, and in 1961, the organization that is now ACA adopted
ethics for counselors. Ethics always describe: -
standards of conduct imposed by ACA and NBCC. Ethics defined standards of behavior set forth by
organizations and certification bodies. Ethics are not state or federally mandated laws. Unlike many
laws, ethical guidelines generally do not spell out penalties for violations. Hence, the counselor who is
dating a client might lose his/her license but will not be serving time in a city jail or a federal
penitentiary. Ethics are not universal. That is to say, the ethics set forth by one organization may not be
identical to those spelled out by another organization. HOWEVER, if your state sends you ethical
guidelines after you secure your license under state statutes, then in this instance your guidelines will be
the law.
Most ethical dilemmas are related to: -
confidentiality. Confidentiality implies that the counselor will not reveal anything about a client
unless s/he is given specific authorization to do so. Some of the literature in the field refers to
confidential material as "entrusted secrets." What goes on in the counseling relationship remains
private rather than public. Helpers must, nevertheless, be aware that there are exceptions to this
principle. The exceptions illuminate the fact that confidentiality is relative to the situation.
When does confidentiality end? -
According to ACA ethical guidelines counselors have an obligation to protect the confidentiality of
the deceased and this should be stated clearly in your informed consent document given to the client at
the beginning of treatment. In a recent article in "Counseling Today Online" several ACA ethics task force
members were asked about the issues related to this topic. Say an elderly person dies and said some
nice things about surviving family members. Could you break confidentiality and tell them generally with
the elderly person said? Yes. However, assume that a young man commits suicide and after his death his
