2. Non maleficence: Is the concept of not causing harm to others; it is often explained as, “First, do no harm.” 3. Beneficence: Reflects the counselor’s responsibility to contribute to the welfare of the client by doing good and being proactive, and also to prevent harm when possible. 4. Justice: Is treating everyone equally while responding to unique individual differences and needs. If an individual is to be treated differently, the social worker needs to be able to offer an appropriate rationale. 5. Fidelity: Involves the notions of loyalty, faithfulness and honoring commitments. Note that in social work, “self-determination” is a term more likely to be used than “autonomy.” In the NASW Code of Ethics, self-determination falls under Standard 1, Social Workers’ Ethical Responsibilities to Clients. 1.02 Social workers respect and promote the right of clients to self-determination and assist clients in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals. Social workers may limit clients’ right to self-determination when, in the social workers’ professional judgment, clients’ actions or potential actions pose a serious, foreseeable, and imminent risk to themselves or others. Core values and ethical principles Core values make up the basis on which members of an organization, profession, or other group work and conduct themselves. These values remain constant in spite of changes in the world. They do not describe specific behavior, but provide the foundation for that behavior (National Park Service, n.d.). The core values espoused by mental health ethics codes incorporate a wide range of overlapping morals, values, and ethical principles that lay the foundation for the profession’s unique duties. They generally include: ● Service. ● Autonomy – Allowing for Freedom of Choice and Action. ● Responsibility to Clients. ● Engagement with Appropriate Informational Activities. ● Treating People in Accordance with Their Relevant Differences. ● Responsibility to Students and Supervisees. ● Fidelity. ● Responsibility to Research Participants. ● Financial Arrangements That Conform to Accepted Professional Practices. Depending on a particular mental health professional association’s code of ethics, ethical professional practice can include: ● Helping people in need. ● Challenging social injustice. ● Respecting the inherent dignity and worth of the person. ● Recognizing the central importance of human relationships. ● Behaving in a trustworthy manner. ● Practicing within areas of competence and developing and enhancing professional expertise. Some of the principles, such as responsibility to students and supervisees, are what mental health practitioners can aspire to, while others are much more prescriptive, clearly identifying Ethical responsibilities to clients This illustration highlights the complexity of ethical responsibility to clients: ● Responsibility to the Profession. ● Responsibility to Social Justice. ● Responsibility for Doing No Harm. ● Dignity and Worth of the Person. ● Confidentiality. ● Importance of Human Relationships. ● Do Good and Be Proactive. ● Professional Competence. ● Integrity.
Often a sixth moral principle is added to the list: veracity , or truthfulness . In the past, veracity was often not listed as a virtue because it was considered kinder in some cases not to tell the truth, as when a medical patient was dying and a physician wanted to spare the individual from the harsh reality. However, it is now felt that telling the truth instills trust and shows respect (Amer, 2019). As with other ethical principles, however, veracity can find a place in an ethical dilemma. Sparing an individual from knowledge of a harsh reality can be seen as doing good for that person, or practicing beneficence. Usually, however, the importance of truthfulness is more straightforward. A social worker may not falsify records or inflate his or her résumé or fail to reveal a potential conflict of interest. It has been said that the Greek philosopher Socrates considered ignorance to be like an arrow missing its target. If mental health practitioners believe that they are “walking a perfect path,” they may begin to form habits that bypass thorough inquiry and perhaps miss the mark as it pertains to demonstrating best practice in mental health. They should also be willing to assume responsibility for their mistakes and misjudgments, without blaming others – even when this may place them in vulnerable legal positions. enforceable standards of conduct (Reamer, 2006). For example, an aspirational principle is reflected in Standard 1.01 of the NASW Code of Ethics, making client well-being the most important priority, while an enforceable standard is Standard 1.03, requiring informed consent (Dayton, 2019). Most ethics codes describe specific ethical standards relevant to six areas of professional functioning. These standards provide accepted standards of behavior for all mental health clinicians concerning ethical responsibilities: ● To clients. ● To colleagues. ● To practice settings. ● As professionals. ● To a particular mental health profession focus. ● To the broader society. Further, professionals should take responsible steps before practicing interventions or approaches that are new to them or that are an emerging area of practice, with little to no generally recognized standards. Bogle & Coleman (2000) recommend the following strategies for gaining and maintaining professional and ethical competence: ● Learning should never stop. Research and use available education, training, consultation, and supervision opportunities to increase competence. ● Stay informed about the state of the profession through membership in national/ state organizations and the review of professional publications. ● Adhere to state licensing laws prior to service provision. Overall, mental health practitioners can benefit from the following more specific yet practical recommendations: ● Take proactive responsibility for errors in judgment. ● Avoid blame. ● Manage time effectively. ● Acknowledge clients’ time constraints. ● Check record keeping.
● Return phone messages in a timely manner. ● Avoid being late for sessions or meetings. ● Be dependable.
● Make outside resource information available to clients. This course will continue to look at issues around each of these areas.
A depressed 80-year-old client, suffering from the painful, debilitating effects of arthritis, asks Rene, his mental health therapist, for information on assisted suicide. He tells her
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