LCDC Domain 4 Professional & Ethical
Responsibilities
ethics, purpose - a counselor must comply with established professional codes of
ethics that define the professional context within which the counselor works to
maintain professional standards and protect the clients; rules of conduct recognized
in a particular profession, the shared standards of what is good practice; promoting
client welfare
ethics in substance use disorders - counselors must comply with federal, state, and
agency regulations that apply to addiction counseling; counselors must interpret &
apply information from current counseling & psychoactive substance use research
literature to improve client care & enhance professional growth; be aware of
grievance procedures and clients rights & responsibilities
individual differences, ethics - counselors must recognize the importance of
individual differences that influence client behavior & apply this understanding to
clinical practice; understand how personality, culture, lifestyle, and other factors
influence client's behavior
maintain physical & mental health, professional standards - counselors need to
understand the relationship between mental & physical health; use prevention
methods to guard against burnout; employ stress-reduction techniques, model self-
care as an effective treatment tool
how to use supervision, professional standards - understand potential barriers in
counselor-client relationship; transference & countertransference; problem-solving
methods & conflict resolution; process & effect of client reassignment; process &
effect of termination of the counseling relationship; phases of treatment & client
responses; understand own personal & professional strengths & limitations;
responsibility for personal & professional growth; awareness that one's personal
recovery issues have an effect on job performance and interactions with clients
mandatory ethics - the minimal standard of conduct that is acceptable; this is what
ethical codes delineate
aspirational ethics - focuses on the spirit behind the code
decision-making model for ethics - identify the problem, review the code of ethics &
relevant laws, consult with another professional, consider possible courses of action
& their consequences, choose a course of action, and evaluate the results
ethical dilemma - a situation to which there is not an ideal response
, fundamental ethical principles - any ethical canon will support these principles;
autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, veracity
autonomy, ethics - respect the client's independence and self-determination
nonmaleficence, ethics - do not harm the client
beneficence, ethics - provide benefit for the client
justice, ethics - to be fair with the client
fidelity, ethics - to be faithful to the client
veracity, ethics - to be truthful with the client
National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) -
professional association that offers certification in substance abuse counseling;
principles address nondiscrimination, responsibility, competence, legal & moral
standards, public statements, publication credit, client welfare, confidentiality, client
relationships, interprofessional relationships, renumeration, and societal
obligations
Title 25 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 140, Subchapter I - ethical standards
appear here, ; actions against a license for violating the ethical standards are
described in LCDC Rule 150.121; include refusal to issue or renew a license,
suspension or revocations of a license, place a counselor on probation, and
reprimand of a license holder
Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule - covers all
personal health information that can be used to identify an individual
HIPAA: 42 CRF, Part 2 - refers specifically to information that can be used to identify
a person as an alcohol or drug abuser; prohibits counselors from divulging
information about former clients, deceased clients, and those who have only applied
to treatment but never attended; consequences for violating law include fines, loss of
counseling license, and possible civil suit
if state law differs from federal law - ...the more stringent law should be followed
exceptions to confidentiality - include reporting child abuse or neglect (Public Law
99-401), threatening to harm another person, threatening suicide, committing or
threatening a crime on program property or against program staff, medical
emergencies, elder abuse, and court orders
Responsibilities
ethics, purpose - a counselor must comply with established professional codes of
ethics that define the professional context within which the counselor works to
maintain professional standards and protect the clients; rules of conduct recognized
in a particular profession, the shared standards of what is good practice; promoting
client welfare
ethics in substance use disorders - counselors must comply with federal, state, and
agency regulations that apply to addiction counseling; counselors must interpret &
apply information from current counseling & psychoactive substance use research
literature to improve client care & enhance professional growth; be aware of
grievance procedures and clients rights & responsibilities
individual differences, ethics - counselors must recognize the importance of
individual differences that influence client behavior & apply this understanding to
clinical practice; understand how personality, culture, lifestyle, and other factors
influence client's behavior
maintain physical & mental health, professional standards - counselors need to
understand the relationship between mental & physical health; use prevention
methods to guard against burnout; employ stress-reduction techniques, model self-
care as an effective treatment tool
how to use supervision, professional standards - understand potential barriers in
counselor-client relationship; transference & countertransference; problem-solving
methods & conflict resolution; process & effect of client reassignment; process &
effect of termination of the counseling relationship; phases of treatment & client
responses; understand own personal & professional strengths & limitations;
responsibility for personal & professional growth; awareness that one's personal
recovery issues have an effect on job performance and interactions with clients
mandatory ethics - the minimal standard of conduct that is acceptable; this is what
ethical codes delineate
aspirational ethics - focuses on the spirit behind the code
decision-making model for ethics - identify the problem, review the code of ethics &
relevant laws, consult with another professional, consider possible courses of action
& their consequences, choose a course of action, and evaluate the results
ethical dilemma - a situation to which there is not an ideal response
, fundamental ethical principles - any ethical canon will support these principles;
autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, veracity
autonomy, ethics - respect the client's independence and self-determination
nonmaleficence, ethics - do not harm the client
beneficence, ethics - provide benefit for the client
justice, ethics - to be fair with the client
fidelity, ethics - to be faithful to the client
veracity, ethics - to be truthful with the client
National Association of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) -
professional association that offers certification in substance abuse counseling;
principles address nondiscrimination, responsibility, competence, legal & moral
standards, public statements, publication credit, client welfare, confidentiality, client
relationships, interprofessional relationships, renumeration, and societal
obligations
Title 25 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 140, Subchapter I - ethical standards
appear here, ; actions against a license for violating the ethical standards are
described in LCDC Rule 150.121; include refusal to issue or renew a license,
suspension or revocations of a license, place a counselor on probation, and
reprimand of a license holder
Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule - covers all
personal health information that can be used to identify an individual
HIPAA: 42 CRF, Part 2 - refers specifically to information that can be used to identify
a person as an alcohol or drug abuser; prohibits counselors from divulging
information about former clients, deceased clients, and those who have only applied
to treatment but never attended; consequences for violating law include fines, loss of
counseling license, and possible civil suit
if state law differs from federal law - ...the more stringent law should be followed
exceptions to confidentiality - include reporting child abuse or neglect (Public Law
99-401), threatening to harm another person, threatening suicide, committing or
threatening a crime on program property or against program staff, medical
emergencies, elder abuse, and court orders
