Legal & Ethics Final Exam Practice

Spring 2026 with Dr. Nguyen :)

What the moral principle of Autonomy?

Fostering the right to control the direction of one’s life

What the moral principle of Nonmaleficence?

Avoiding actions that cause harm

What the moral principle of Beneficence?

Working for the good of the individual and society by promoting mental health and well-being

What the moral principle of Justice?

treating individuals equitably and fostering fairness and equality

What the moral principle of Fidelity?

Honoring commitments and keeping promises, including fulfilling one’s responsibilities of trust in professional relationships

What the moral principle of Veracity?

Dealing truthfully with individuals with whom counselors come into professional contact

What is the Order of Credentials?

Name – Highest degree – Licensure – Certification

What is the purpose of the ACA Code of Ethics?

To protect the client’s welfare

What is the difference between Law and Ethics?

Law refers to the minimal standard

Ethics refers to both the minimal standard and the aspirational standard

When your client poses a danger to themselves or others, and you have to let the appropriate people know, what moral principle are you sacrificing, and what are you prioritizing?

Sacrifice autonomy

Prioritize beneficence/nonmaleficence

Do the counselor's personal values have no place in professional life?

Does have a place but keep them separate

What are personal values influenced by?

Personal values are influenced by cultural background, family of origin

Do the personal values of counselors have to be completely altruistic?

No

What is the goal of counseling?

The goal of counseling is to help the person achieve/accomplish their wellness rather than to cure an illness

What is the best way to understand your client and their culture?

From client themselves by asking them

If a South Asian client refuses to seek police assistance, what should you do?

You don’t want to impose your values on them since they could be victims of police oppression in their countries

Southeast Asian immigrants may be reluctant to seek assistance from the police when they are victims of crimes because of police oppression in their countries.

Why might LGBTQ Members refuse to seek help?

LGBTQIAP+ victims of domestic violence may refuse to seek help because of fear of ridicule

Ward vs Wilbanks (2010) – Michigan University.

In this court case, the student was dismissed for failing to do what?

She failed to learn how to counsel LGBT members

Do you need informed consent for mandated and involuntary clients?

Yes, you need both written and verbal forms of informed consent

If the guardian gives consent but the client doesn’t want to get counseling, can you still provide counseling?

Yes

Is informed consent a one time event?

No, informed consent is an ongoing process

What is the difference between confidentiality and privileged communication?

Confidentiality is an ethical concept/term

Privileged communication is a legal concept

Disclosure of confidential information is acceptable under all these EXCEPT:

An attorney sends you a subpoena

What is Florida Law regarding the duty to report?

Must call the police, but MAY warn the victim (May means it is not required)

Case Scenario: During a couple’s counseling session, the husband’s lawyer serves a subpoena.

What do we do?

Best solution – consult an attorney

According to FL Law if a client has homicidal ideation, are you legally required to call the police?

You must call police but you have an option to warn the victim

Privileged communication must be waived because counselor must let law enforcement know

Privileged communication may be waived because counselor MAY inform the victim (but don’t have to)

Regarding records, who owns the rights to them?

The clients and no one else

Generally, counselors create clinical case notes to:

To help you become an effective counselor

What does HIPAA require you to put in the informed consent?

All of the above

According to Florida law, how long do you keep the record?

7 years

Can counselor competency be assured?

There is no way to ensure counselor competency (because it is a fluid concept)

When a client poses a risk for harm to themselves, the counselor must always do what?

B) Create a safety plan and take necessary steps to prevent harm

If you believe another counselor is doing an unethical thing, the first thing you do is?

Talk to them informally first

If a formal ethics complaint is filed against you, what should you NOT do?

Do not attempt to contact the complainant directly

Duty To Warn: Is Florida a mandatory duty to warn state?

True or False

False

What is the criteria to the Baker Act (Involuntary Examination)?

1. A person may be taken for involuntary examination is there is reason to believe that they have a mental illness & because of the mental illness:
   
   The person has refused voluntary examination after explanation & disclosure OR they are unable to determine whether examination is necessary
   
   AND
   
   Without care/treatment, the person is likely to suffer harm from neglect or lack of care and such harm cannot be avoided through help of family/friends or services

OR

2. There is high likelihood that without care/treatment, the person will cause serious bodily harm to themselves or others in the near future, as evidenced by recent behavior

The primary difference between boundary crossing and boundary violation is:

E) Boundary Violations involves a serious breach of the code of ethics that results in the client being harmed

It would be acceptable to engage in bartering with the client IF:

A) Bartering is an acceptable method among other professions in the community

To be a culturally sensitive counselor, when a client from a different culture offers a gift, the counselor should:

D) Evaluate the meaning the client attached to the offering of the gift

Alice is a licensed professional counselor who has counseled Thomas for several months. When Thomas learns that he passed his GED, he asks the counselor to attend.

This is an example of:

C) Boundary Crossing

All of the following statements regarding dual relationship is true EXCEPT:

C) All dual relationships are avoidable if the counselor practices consciously

Counselors who use social media platforms for personal use SHOULD NOT:

A) Friend their clients

(do not accept friend request unless it is a business account)

When is it appropriate for a counselor to search for a client’s information online?

C) When you obtain consent from the client to do so, and document the reason for doing so

All of the following are considered vulnerable adults EXCEPT:

E) Emotionally distressed adults

Many states have laws that require reporting of suspected abuse of all of the following EXCEPT:

D) Abused spouse or domestic partner

Minor Clients have:

A) Ethical rights to privacy and confidentiality, but no legal rights

Legal rights belong to legal guardian(s) or biological parent(s)

When it comes to determining who has the right to make decisions regarding the child’s life, the law favors:

C) Biological Parents

How long do you have to report the suspected abuse after you learn of it?

Immediately

Population to report in case of suspected abuse:

Children, elderly, vulnerable adults

What is the definition of Vulnerable Adult?

“Vulnerable adult” means a person 18 years of age or older whose ability to perform the normal activities of daily living or to provide for his or her own care or protection is impaired due to a mental, emotional, sensory, long-term physical, or developmental disability or dysfunction, or brain damage, or the infirmities of aging.

Regarding the law of privileged communication in relation to family & group counseling:

C) Generally, privilege is waived if there is a third party present during counseling

A counselor who is beginning a group should:

C) Explain why the counselor will keep things confidential, but there is no guarantee that others in the group will do the same

When one spouse in a married couple demand the counselor testify in court and the other spouse does not want the counselor to testify, what should you do?

E) Consult with an attorney and ask them for advice

Is it ethical for a counselor to refer clients at the agency they are working to their own private practice?

Yes, only if the agency allows us to. But you have to give them other options as well

Is it ethical for a counselor to give or receive commission or payment for referrals?

No

What is the ethical action for a counselor as related to when your client has insurance, and you have to put down a diagnosis, and that one might not be reimbursed by the insurance?

You give an accurate diagnosis

If the client does not pay the counseling fee, are you required to continue the service?

No. Ethically, you do not have to continue the service

But you do not want to immediately terminate them. You may want to explore some options like a payment plan

The gatekeeping responsibility may include all of the following EXCEPT:

D) Providing the formal hearing if the student is being dismissed for academic reasons

While you are a counseling student:

B) You must follow the same ethical standard

If you believe your supervisor at work is forcing you to act in a way that you believe is unethical, what should you do?

Try to talk to your supervisor to resolve the problem

When you are a counselor under supervision, what is your responsibility? What do you have to inform your client about working under supervision?

That you are under supervision, supervisor’s name, supervisor’s credentials