CAPS Professional Ethics & Standards 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CAPS professional is simultaneously working as a salesperson for a home modification product company. This situation most directly creates a concern about:
- Time management
- Conflict of interest (Correct answer)
- License reciprocity
- Building code compliance
Correct answer: Conflict of interest
Dual roles as advisor and product seller create a conflict of interest that must be disclosed to clients under CAPS ethical guidelines.
Question 2: When must a CAPS professional obtain written informed consent from a client?
- Only for projects exceeding $10,000
- Before sharing client information or starting assessments that involve personal health data (Correct answer)
- Only when the client is over 80 years old
- Consent is recommended but not ethically required
Correct answer: Before sharing client information or starting assessments that involve personal health data
Written informed consent is required before gathering personal health information or sharing client data to ensure privacy and autonomy.
Question 3: A CAPS practitioner learns that a competitor is making false claims about CAPS certification to win clients. What is the ethical course of action?
- Publicly disparage the competitor on social media
- Ignore it as it does not affect your clients
- Report the misrepresentation to NAHB or the relevant certifying body (Correct answer)
- Use the same tactic to remain competitive
Correct answer: Report the misrepresentation to NAHB or the relevant certifying body
Reporting false claims about CAPS certification to the certifying body protects the credential's integrity and consumer trust.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes the principle of 'non-maleficence' as it applies to CAPS practice?
- Maximizing profits from each project
- Avoiding actions that could harm the client physically, financially, or emotionally (Correct answer)
- Completing projects on the fastest possible timeline
- Following all local building codes
Correct answer: Avoiding actions that could harm the client physically, financially, or emotionally
Non-maleficence means actively avoiding harm, requiring CAPS professionals to weigh risks of any recommendation or modification.
Question 5: A client requests that a CAPS professional recommend modifications the professional believes are outside their area of expertise. What should the professional do?
- Complete the work to avoid disappointing the client
- Refer the client to a specialist with appropriate expertise (Correct answer)
- Research the topic briefly and proceed
- Quote a higher price to compensate for the risk
Correct answer: Refer the client to a specialist with appropriate expertise
Practicing within one's scope of competence and referring outside that scope is a core ethical obligation for CAPS professionals.
Question 6: Under CAPS standards, how should a professional respond if a client pressures them to omit safety-related disclosures from a report?
- Comply since the client is paying for the service
- Omit minor risks only if the client signs a waiver
- Decline to omit safety disclosures, explaining the professional and ethical obligations involved (Correct answer)
- Complete a separate unofficial report with the full information
Correct answer: Decline to omit safety disclosures, explaining the professional and ethical obligations involved
CAPS professionals may not omit material safety information at client request, as doing so would violate ethical disclosure obligations.
Question 7: What is the primary reason CAPS professionals are required to maintain continuing education?
- To increase project pricing
- To stay current with evolving standards, products, and best practices to serve clients competently (Correct answer)
- To network with suppliers
- To satisfy building department requirements
Correct answer: To stay current with evolving standards, products, and best practices to serve clients competently
Continuing education ensures CAPS professionals maintain current knowledge so their recommendations reflect best practices and up-to-date standards.
CAPS Professional Ethics & Standards 3
A CAPS professional is simultaneously working as a salesperson for a home modification product company.
This situation most directly creates a concern about: