Ethics & Professional Standards Flashcards
7 cards from real BHP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Ethics & Professional Standards flashcards as text
A BHP discovers that a colleague is falsifying treatment records to meet billing requirements. What is the most appropriate first step?
Answer: Report the behavior internally through the organization's chain of command
Ethical standards require BHPs to address unethical conduct, typically starting with internal reporting mechanisms before escalating to external bodies.
Which principle best describes a BHP's obligation to act in the client's best interest rather than the clinician's own interests?
Answer: Beneficence
Beneficence refers to the duty to promote client welfare and act in the client's best interest above the clinician's own.
A client requests a copy of their mental health records. Under HIPAA, a covered entity must provide access within how many days?
Answer: 30 days
HIPAA requires covered entities to provide access to records within 30 days, with a possible one-time 30-day extension.
A BHP is assigned a new client who is the spouse of a close personal friend. This situation represents a:
Answer: Dual relationship
A dual relationship exists when a clinician has both a professional and a personal relationship with a client or someone closely connected to the client.
The ethical principle of veracity in behavioral health practice primarily refers to:
Answer: Being truthful and honest in all professional communications
Veracity is the ethical obligation to be truthful and honest with clients, colleagues, and in all professional documentation.
When a BHP suspects a colleague may be impaired due to substance use, the primary ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Protect client safety by reporting concerns through appropriate channels
Client safety is paramount, and BHPs have an ethical obligation to report colleague impairment that could harm clients through appropriate professional or supervisory channels.
A BHP receives a subpoena for a client's records in a child custody dispute. The client has NOT provided a release. What should the BHP do first?
Answer: Consult with an attorney and notify the client before releasing records
A subpoena alone does not override privilege; BHPs should consult legal counsel and notify the client so the client may seek to quash or limit the subpoena.