ETHICS, ACCREDITATION, AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF COUNSELING

Vocabulary flashcards covering key ethics, law, and professional practice concepts from the lecture notes.

Ethics

A philosophical discipline concerned with human conduct and moral decision making.

Morality

Involves judgment or evaluation of action; terms like right, wrong, good, bad, ought, should.

Law

The precise codification of governing standards established to ensure legal and moral justice.

Professional codes of ethics

Ethical codes that provide guidelines for professional behavior to protect the profession and practitioners.

ACA Code of Ethics

American Counseling Association's code with nine topical sections, including The Counseling Relationship, Confidentiality/Privileged Communication/Privacy, Professional Responsibility, and more.

Confidentiality

The ethical duty to protect information revealed in therapy from unauthorized disclosure.

Privileged communication

Legal protection that prevents confidential communications from being disclosed in court without the client’s permission; a client’s legal right.

Privacy

Recognition of individuals’ rights to control the time, circumstances, and extent to which they share personal information.

Autonomy

Respecting freedom of choice and self-determinism.

Beneficence

Doing good and preventing harm.

Nonmaleficence

Not inflicting harm.

Justice

Fairness in the distribution of benefits and burdens and in treatment.

Fidelity

Faithfulness; keeping commitments and honoring trust in the counselor–client relationship.

Veracity

Truthfulness.

Exceptions to privileged communication

Situations where confidential information may be disclosed (e.g., disputes with client, mental state in legal proceedings, risk of harm, child abuse, planned crimes, court-ordered evaluations, involuntary hospitalization, harm to vulnerable groups).

Civil liability

Legal responsibility for acting wrongly toward another or for failing to act when there is a duty to do so.

Criminal liability

Liability arising when counsel actions violate criminal law; conduct not allowed by law.

Administrative liability

Risk to a professional license, potentially leading to revocation or suspension by a licensing board.

Malpractice

Professional negligence; failure to meet the standard of care resulting in harm.

Negligence

Failure to act with reasonable care, resulting in harm.

Legal issues when counseling minors

Guidelines for working with under-18 clients, including state statutes, clear confidentiality policies with child and parents, written agreements, accurate records, adequate liability coverage, and consulting with colleagues/legal help.