EDHS 733-1: ETHICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF COUNSELING
FALL 2006
1. Ethical and Legal Foundations of the Counseling Profession
Instructor comments about topic
Among the elements that qualify an occupation as a profession are a code of ethics administered by members of the profession and legal recognition by governmental agencies. Counseling has achieved both of these requirements and members of the profession should understand that the privileges of being a member of the profession are accompanied by ethical and legal requirements, and by limitations on their behavior. The requirements and limitations are a component of the professional duty of counselors. If a counselor violates a duty, and the violation causes harm to a counselee, the counselor is guilty of professional negligence or malpractice, and can suffer legal penalties. Note especially that our ethical and legal assumptions are "western" and value individual autonomy over collective approaches.
Learning plan
We
will be concerned about the issues involved in how to deal with
ethical and legal dilemmas, and situations that appear to present counselors with a conflict between
ethical and legal requirements. Certainly there is no issue when counselors'
behavior is both ethical and legal, avoiding professional behaviors that
are illegal and unethical takes knowledge and willpower, but competing
goods or finding the least bad present unique challenges. Your reading
for this topic will introduce you to two ethical codes.
Other specialized codes should be added based on individual interests.
You should understand the basic elements of the legal system and know the
difference between statutes, regulations and case law. Likewise you should
know the moral principles on which ethical decision making rests. Your
reading, primarily in text chapters. You know for EDHS 721 about the journey
of counseling to the status of a profession and the professional credentials
available to counselors. Check the web sites under links to find requirements
for credentials of interest to you.
Additional References
Electronic Reserve and Links
Note: The full reference is not provided. There is enough information to find the reference in the list of references or to find the reference in the electronic reserve list.
ACA Ethical Standards (Link); AMHCA Ethical Standards (Link); ASCA Ethical Standards (Link); Anderson & Freeman (2006); Kocet (2006); Kocet & Freeman (2005) Pedersen (1997)