AIRS Professional Ethics and Standards 3

Question 1

A caller expresses a clear plan to end their life tonight. What is the specialist's ethical priority?

Accepted Answer

Follow crisis protocol to ensure safety, including emergency intervention if needed

Answer

Imminent risk of harm overrides routine confidentiality and requires crisis intervention per agency protocol.

Question 2

An inquirer chooses not to follow the specialist's suggested referral. What principle applies?

Accepted Answer

Self-determination: the inquirer has the right to make their own choices

Answer

Respecting self-determination means honoring the inquirer's decisions even when the specialist disagrees.

Question 3

A specialist shares a funny but identifiable story about a caller on personal social media. This primarily violates which ethical standard?

Accepted Answer

Confidentiality and privacy of inquirers

Answer

Sharing identifiable inquirer details publicly breaches confidentiality.

Question 4

What is the purpose of an I&R agency's written inclusion/exclusion policy for its resource database?

Accepted Answer

To apply consistent, objective criteria for which organizations are listed

Answer

AIRS standards require a published, consistently applied inclusion/exclusion policy.

Question 5

A third party calls asking whether their adult neighbor has contacted the I&R service. How should the specialist respond?

Accepted Answer

Neither confirm nor deny the neighbor's contact, protecting confidentiality

Answer

Even acknowledging that someone contacted the service can breach confidentiality.

AIRS - Alliance of Information and Referral Systems Certification Practice Test