Duty to Protect in Counseling.
ANSWER
Title: An Examination of the ACA Code of Ethics Regarding the Responsibility to Protect in Chemical Dependency Counseling
First Off
In the realm of chemical dependency counselling, the idea of the duty to protect is fundamental. It includes counsellors’ moral and legal obligations to their clients, their welfare, and the community. This study examines the duty to protect counsellors from chemical dependency, particularly emphasizing the Code of Ethics of the American Counseling Association (ACA).
The Responsibility to Preserve in Chemical Dependency Therapy 1.1. Synopsis
Chemical dependency counsellors have a moral and professional duty to safeguard the safety and well-being of their clients and the larger community. This duty is known as the “duty to protect.” This obligation includes circumstances where clients may risk harm due to substance use, mental health conditions, or other causes.
1.2. Foundations in Law and Ethics
The obligation to provide protection is based on moral and legal standards. The law requires counsellors to fulfil specific tasks, but ethical principles offer a general framework that helps them achieve this job. An essential publication outlining these ethical standards is the ACA Code of Ethics.
The obligation to protect and the ACA Code of Ethics
2.1. Summary
A thorough document that offers norms and rules for moral counselling work is the ACA Code of Ethics, Sections A–H. The word “protect” appears multiple times in this code, indicating the importance of the duty to protect in counselling.
2.2. Significance of References to “Protect”
In the ACA Code of Ethics, the word “protect” appears frequently, highlighting many important points:
a. Client Welfare: The welfare of clients is the primary concern of the obligation to protect. Whether it is addiction, mental health problems, or other external circumstances, counsellors must proactively protect their clients from danger.
b. Informed permission: Ensuring that clients give informed permission is one of the cornerstones of moral counselling practice. This indicates that clients are completely informed about the advantages and disadvantages of counselling and any possible safety precautions.
c. Confidentiality: There are frequent overlaps between the duties of confidentiality and protection. Counsellors must strike a delicate balance between their duty to keep their clients safe and their right to privacy. This could involve circumstances in which customers endanger others or themselves.
d. Boundaries: The ACA Code of Ethics also stresses how crucial it is to keep suitable boundaries between counsellors and clients. Avoiding parallel connections that can jeopardize the protection responsibility is part of this.
e) Reporting and Referral: It is the ethical responsibility of counsellors to report or refer clients when it is required to protect their safety. Working with other agencies or professions may be necessary to deliver the best treatment available.
f. Cultural Competence: The code emphasizes the necessity for counsellors to possess cultural competence, acknowledging that varying cultural origins may impact an individual’s comprehension and performance of their duty to protect.
QUESTION
Description
Your supervisor has asked you to prepare a report on the duty to protect.
- Discuss the concept duty to protect as it relates to chemical dependency counselors.
- Refer to course materials in Phase 2 to obtain a copy of the code of ethics of the American Counseling Association (ACA) section A–H, and review the document to determine the ACA’s position on the duty to protect. The word protect is mentioned almost 20 times in the ACA Code of Ethics. Discuss the significance of the many references to the word protect.