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Benchmark - Ethics in Behavioral Health Practice Essay
Ximena Guijarro
Grand Canyon University
BHS-320: Ethics of Behavioral Health Science
Lynnette Pina
9/15/24
, 2
State Board Codes and Laws
The California State Board of Laws and Regulations and the American Counseling
Association complement one another very well by stating why this is necessary and providing an
in-depth explanation. And you may be wondering if this is all necessary. But yes, every job in
the behavioral health field has to go through all of these laws and regulations to be a
professional at what they do. And follow every law and regulation to continue the field that they
are in.
According to “The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics” by the Northwestern The
Family Institute article, “Ethics codes provide professional standards for counselors with the
purpose of protecting the dignity and well-being of clients.” And these are there to make sure
there are no overstepping at either end of the session. It is also for the counselors as well as the
clients.
Why is this important in ethics?
Privacy, security, informed consent, and confidentiality are critical and ethics,
particularly regarding patient medical and mental health records. Privacy: it protects individual's
personal health information from being disclosed without their consent, safeguarding their
dignity and autonomy. Security: It involves the systems and protocols that ensure this data is
protected from unauthorized access, breaches, or tempering, maintaining trust in healthcare
systems. Informed Consent: it ensures that patients fully understand and agree to the collection,
use, and sharing of their medical records. This respects their autonomy and helps prevent the
exploitation of their personal information. It also requires that the patients know that their data
will be used and at the risk involved. Confidentiality: it is the ethical obligation to keep patients'
personal health information private unless they consent to sharing it. This is crucial for building
trust between patients and healthcare providers, encouraging honest communication essential for
Benchmark - Ethics in Behavioral Health Practice Essay
Ximena Guijarro
Grand Canyon University
BHS-320: Ethics of Behavioral Health Science
Lynnette Pina
9/15/24
, 2
State Board Codes and Laws
The California State Board of Laws and Regulations and the American Counseling
Association complement one another very well by stating why this is necessary and providing an
in-depth explanation. And you may be wondering if this is all necessary. But yes, every job in
the behavioral health field has to go through all of these laws and regulations to be a
professional at what they do. And follow every law and regulation to continue the field that they
are in.
According to “The American Counseling Association Code of Ethics” by the Northwestern The
Family Institute article, “Ethics codes provide professional standards for counselors with the
purpose of protecting the dignity and well-being of clients.” And these are there to make sure
there are no overstepping at either end of the session. It is also for the counselors as well as the
clients.
Why is this important in ethics?
Privacy, security, informed consent, and confidentiality are critical and ethics,
particularly regarding patient medical and mental health records. Privacy: it protects individual's
personal health information from being disclosed without their consent, safeguarding their
dignity and autonomy. Security: It involves the systems and protocols that ensure this data is
protected from unauthorized access, breaches, or tempering, maintaining trust in healthcare
systems. Informed Consent: it ensures that patients fully understand and agree to the collection,
use, and sharing of their medical records. This respects their autonomy and helps prevent the
exploitation of their personal information. It also requires that the patients know that their data
will be used and at the risk involved. Confidentiality: it is the ethical obligation to keep patients'
personal health information private unless they consent to sharing it. This is crucial for building
trust between patients and healthcare providers, encouraging honest communication essential for
