H.4.f. Communication Differences in Electronic Media
Counselors regularly ensure that electronic links are working and are professionally appropriate. H.5.d. Multicultural and Disability Considerations Counselors who maintain websites provide accessibility to persons with disabilities. They provide translation capabilities for clients who have a different primary language, when feasible. Counselors acknowledge the imperfect nature of such translations and accessibilities. H.6. Social Media H.6.a. Virtual Professional Presence In cases where counselors wish to maintain a professional and personal presence for social media use, separate professional and personal web pages and profiles are created to clearly distinguish between the two kinds of virtual presence. H.6.b. Social Media as Part of Informed Consent Counselors clearly explain to their clients, as part of the informed consent procedure, the benefits, limitations, and boundaries of the use of social media. H.6.c. Client Virtual Presence Counselors respect the privacy of their clients’ presence on social media unless given consent to view such information. H.6.d. Use of Public Social Media Counselors take precautions to avoid disclosing confidential information through public social media. to clients, employers, counseling education programs, membership organizations, and other professionals. 6. Be accurate and appropriate in the portrayal of your education, licensure, accreditation, expertise, and memberships. The ACA advertising/promotion ethical standards apply to social media, too (C.3.). 7. Don’t check out a client’s social media profile without permission, even if it is public (H.6.c.). Keep in mind that personal virtual relationships with current clients are prohibited (A.5.e.). 8. Counselors and counseling-related organizations must develop a social media policy. Information about this policy must be included in informed consent documents for clients and should be posted on professional social media pages and websites (A.2.b.).
Counselors consider the differences between face-to- face and electronic communication (nonverbal and verbal cues) and how these may affect the counseling process. Counselors educate clients on how to prevent and address potential misunderstandings arising from the lack of visual cues and voice intonations when communicating electronically. H.5. Records and Web Maintenance H.5.a. Records Counselors maintain electronic records in accordance with relevant laws and statutes. Counselors inform clients on how records are maintained electronically. This includes, but is not limited to, the type of encryption and security assigned to the records, and if/for how long archival storage of transaction records is maintained. H.5.b. Client Rights Counselors who offer distance counseling services and/ or maintain a professional website provide electronic links to relevant licensure and professional certification boards to protect consumer and client rights and address ethical concerns. H.5.c. Electronic Links The ACA Government Affairs: Social Media The ACA Government Affairs Division published the following article, “Social Media: 10 Tips for Professional Counselors” (ACA, n.d.), that provides guidance for social media posts and references specific sections of the ACA Code of Ethics that apply to that provisory, as follows: 1. Make sure your professional social media accounts are separate from your personal accounts. It’s a good idea to keep your personal accounts private (ACA Code of Ethics H.6.a.). 2. Learn everything you can about social media. Be sure you understand the various platforms’ purposes and operations, including their privacy controls (H.1.a.).
3. Don’t share confidential information on social media, even in closed/private settings. Nonprofessionals may have access to that information (H.6.d.). 4. Don’t diagnose individuals in social media posts, even if they are public figures. 5. If you wouldn’t say it in real life, don’t post it online. Your statements have weight (C.6.c.). Keep in mind that values and beliefs shared online can make their way 9. Social media policies should cover the risks, especially to confidentiality, and the benefits of interacting with counselors on social media, as well as the expectations clients should have when interacting with a counselor’s professional social media account (H.6.b.). 10. Become familiar with, and follow, all the social media guidelines listed in the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists: Texas Behavioral Health Executive
Council Guidelines for Technology-Assisted Services Here is the advisory from the Texas State Behavioral Health Executive Council on Technology (Texas.gov, 2022): The delivery of technology-assisted services—“Providing therapy or supervision with technologies and devices for electronic communication and information exchange between a licensee in one location and a client or supervisee in another location” [22 TAC §801.2]—is a rapidly expanding area. While the Council’s rules do not prohibit such services, it is important for licensees to be aware of several concerns about the delivery of services via remote or electronic means, including the following: 1. The increased potential that a therapist will have limited knowledge of a distant community’s resources in times of crisis.
2. Problems associated with obtaining informed consent. 3. The lack of standards for training providers in the use of technology as well as the special therapeutic considerations in the use of the medium. 4. The lack of vocal, visual, and other sensory cues. 5. The potential that equipment failures may lead to undue client anxiety. 6. The potential inability of clients, who are unfamiliar with technology, to adequately access and use the technology. 7. The lack of confidentiality and privacy. It is important to remember that the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act (the Act) and all other laws affecting the delivery of professional services apply to
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Book Code: PCTX1326
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