AIRS Professional Ethics and Standards 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Before collecting demographic information, what should a specialist ideally explain to the inquirer?
- Nothing; collection is mandatory
- That it will be shared with all partner agencies
- Why the information is collected, how it is used, and that answering is voluntary unless required for service (Correct answer)
- That refusal ends the call
Correct answer: Why the information is collected, how it is used, and that answering is voluntary unless required for service
Informed consent means inquirers understand the purpose and voluntary nature of data collection.
Question 2: A specialist strongly disagrees with a caller's religious beliefs. How should this affect service?
- Personal values should not influence the quality or content of referrals (Correct answer)
- The specialist may refuse service
- The specialist should share their views
- Refer only to secular agencies
Correct answer: Personal values should not influence the quality or content of referrals
Professional standards require specialists to set aside personal biases and serve inquirers objectively.
Question 3: A specialist suspects a child is being abused based on a caller's statements. What is required?
- Nothing, since I&R calls are confidential
- Wait until the caller calls again
- Ask the caller to report it themselves only
- Follow mandated reporting laws and agency protocol (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Follow mandated reporting laws and agency protocol
Suspected child abuse triggers legal reporting obligations that override confidentiality.
Question 4: Which best describes cultural competence in AIRS ethical practice?
- Treating all callers identically regardless of background
- Respecting diverse cultures and adapting communication, such as using interpreters, to meet inquirers' needs (Correct answer)
- Referring only to culturally specific agencies
- Avoiding questions about language preference
Correct answer: Respecting diverse cultures and adapting communication, such as using interpreters, to meet inquirers' needs
Cultural competence involves respectful, adaptive service including language access.
Question 5: How should inquirer records be handled under AIRS Standards?
- Left on desks for easy access
- Shared freely among volunteers
- Stored securely with access limited to authorized staff and retained per policy (Correct answer)
- Deleted after every call regardless of policy
Correct answer: Stored securely with access limited to authorized staff and retained per policy
Records must be secured, access-limited, and retained or destroyed according to agency policy.
Question 6: A specialist develops a personal friendship with a frequent caller and begins meeting them socially. This raises concerns about:
- Database maintenance
- Professional boundaries and dual relationships (Correct answer)
- Inclusion/exclusion policy
- Call volume metrics
Correct answer: Professional boundaries and dual relationships
Dual relationships can compromise objectivity and should be avoided.
Question 7: Why should I&R specialists offer more than one referral option when possible?
- To support informed choice and increase chances the inquirer's need is met (Correct answer)
- To lengthen calls
- Because AIRS requires exactly three referrals
- To avoid follow-up
Correct answer: To support informed choice and increase chances the inquirer's need is met
Multiple options empower choice and provide alternatives if one resource fails.
AIRS Professional Ethics and Standards 4
Before collecting demographic information, what should a specialist ideally explain to the inquirer?