Ethics and Professional Standards Flashcards
6 cards from real CAC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Ethics and Professional Standards flashcards as text
What does 'informed consent' require a counselor to provide to a client before beginning treatment?
Answer: Information about treatment goals, risks, benefits, alternatives, and confidentiality limits
Informed consent requires disclosure of enough information — including risks, benefits, alternatives, and limits of confidentiality — for the client to make a voluntary, knowledgeable decision.
Which ethical principle supports a client's right to make their own treatment decisions, even ones the counselor disagrees with?
Answer: Autonomy
Autonomy recognizes the client's right to self-determination and to make their own choices about treatment.
A counselor discovers that a colleague is seeing clients while impaired by alcohol. What is the MOST appropriate first action?
Answer: Report the colleague to a supervisor or licensing board
Protecting client welfare requires reporting a colleague's impairment to supervisory or regulatory authorities, as self-report alone is insufficient.
What is a 'dual relationship' in the context of addiction counseling ethics?
Answer: A professional relationship combined with a personal, financial, or social relationship
A dual relationship occurs when a counselor takes on more than one role with a client (e.g., counselor and employer, or counselor and friend), which can impair objectivity.
Under federal law (42 CFR Part 2), which is an example of a permissible disclosure WITHOUT client consent?
Answer: Reporting to medical personnel in a life-threatening emergency
42 CFR Part 2 permits disclosure without consent in medical emergencies where a client's life is at immediate risk.
Cultural competence in addiction counseling PRIMARILY requires the counselor to:
Answer: Understand and respect how cultural factors influence a client's substance use and recovery
Cultural competence involves recognizing how a client's cultural background shapes their worldview, their relationship with substances, and their response to treatment.