● When the notification is required by state law. ● To notify public health authorities to prevent spread of disease. ● When first responders are at risk of infection. ● When first responders need the information for the sake of an individual or the public in the case of an imminent public health threat. ● In certain circumstances, when the information is requested by a correctional institution or law enforcement official having lawful custody of an inmate or other individual. Social workers, who are ethically obliged to maintain clear boundaries may be forced, during a public health crisis, to communicate with clients using personal devices and accounts, Related personal and professional integrity issues Mental health practitioners must also address issues related to personal and professional integrity. They are: ● Dishonesty, fraud, and deception. ● Misrepresentation. ● Solicitations. ● Failure to acknowledge credit. Practitioners have an obligation to avoid actions that are dishonest, fraudulent, or deceptive. Such actions, or in some cases, lack of action, put the continued integrity of both the individual mental health worker and the profession at risk. Some examples include: ● Falsifying records, forging signatures, or documenting services not rendered. ● Embellishing one’s education and experience history or qualifications (refer also to “Misrepresentation”). ● Lying to a client or the client’s family to “protect” them from unpleasant information. ● Not sharing legitimate options with a client because they violate the professional’s beliefs. ● Misleading potential donors or current funders with false outcome data. Misrepresentation occurs when mental health professionals present opinions, claims, and statements that are either false or lead the listener to believe facts that are not accurate. Three Ethical responsibilities to colleagues Licensed mental health practitioners should not only take responsibility for their own actions, but also take actions that ensure the safety and well-being of any clients served by others in the mental health profession. Thus, their responsibilities include: ● Duty to clients. ● Duty to colleagues, and ● Indirectly, duty to the mental health profession. In addition, they demonstrate further ethical responsibility by: ● Respecting and fairly representing the qualifications, views, and obligations of colleagues. ● Respecting shared confidential information. ● Promoting interdisciplinary collaboration. ● Not taking advantage of disputes between colleague and employer or exploiting clients in disputes with colleagues. Ethical responsibilities to the mental health profession In general, national mental health professional associations discuss the responsibility to help maintain the integrity of their particular mental health focus as well as issues related to mental health work evaluation and research. Maintaining the integrity of the profession is a responsibility of every licensed mental health professional and requires the active participation of each person whether it be collaborating on the creation of new standards, continuing to challenge mediocrity or complacency, or taking advantage of educational opportunities. Mental health professionals should demonstrate the following integrity safeguards:
or to work at odd hours, simply because of the massive need of the public. They may encounter clients who have no means of communicating electronically, which might require that the agency supply the means. According to Barsky (2020), these actions are not boundary violations, but they are boundary crossings that require risk-reduction strategies, such as informing clients that after a certain hour in the evening, they should call 911 instead of the social worker. Although HIPAA regulations were eased during the COVID-19 crisis to allow the use of communication apps that were not HIPAA compliant, Barsky advised that social workers use HIPAA- compliant apps where possible and try to gain access to HIPAA- compliant apps for the long term. actions must be taken to ensure that clients and the public receive accurate information: 1. Clearly distinguish between private statements and actions and those representative of an organization, employer, etc. 2. Accurately present the official and authorized positions of the organization being represented or on whose behalf the professional is speaking. 3. Ensure accurate information about, and correct any inaccuracies regarding, professional qualifications/ credentials, services offered, and outcomes/results. Admonitions against client solicitation stem from a concern for clients whose situations may make them vulnerable to exploitation or undue influence. Such clients’ circumstances create the potential for manipulation and coercion. Mental health practitioners should refrain from doing the following: 1. Engaging in uninvited solicitation, or 2. Soliciting testimonial endorsements from current clients or other potentially vulnerable persons. Mental health practitioners also have an ethical responsibility to the contributions of others by acknowledging credit. They should: 1. Take responsibility and credit only for work they have actually performed and contributed to, and 2. Honestly acknowledge the work and/or contributions of others ● Seeking advice and counsel of colleagues who have demonstrated knowledge, expertise, and competence so as to benefit the interests of clients. ● Referring clients, without payment for such, to qualified professionals and transferring responsibilities in an orderly fashion. ● Consulting and assisting impaired and/or incompetent colleagues, and addressing impairments through proper channels when they are unable to practice effectively (e.g., reporting to professional associations or licensing and regulatory bodies). ● Discouraging unethical conduct of colleagues; being knowledgeable about established procedures and taking action as necessary through appropriate formal channels. ● Defending and assisting colleagues who are unjustly charged with unethical conduct. ● Maintain and promote high standards of practice. ● Uphold and advance the values, ethics, knowledge, and mission of the profession through study, research, active discussion, and reasonable criticism. ● Contribute time and professional expertise to activities that promote respect for the value, integrity, and competence of the profession. ● Contribute to the knowledge base and share with colleagues knowledge related to practice, ethics, and research. ● Act to prevent unauthorized/unqualified practice of mental health work.
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Book Code: SWTX1524
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