CASAC Professional Ethics and Regulations 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A counselor learns their supervisee has been falsifying group attendance records. The supervisor's first ethical step should be:
- Fire the supervisee immediately without discussion
- Document the concern and address it directly with the supervisee (Correct answer)
- Report the issue to the licensing board before any internal review
- Ignore it unless a client files a formal complaint
Correct answer: Document the concern and address it directly with the supervisee
Supervisors must address ethical concerns with supervisees directly and document the process before escalating to external bodies.
Question 2: Which federal regulation specifically governs the confidentiality of substance use disorder treatment records in federally assisted programs?
- FERPA
- 42 CFR Part 2 (Correct answer)
- Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
- The Americans with Disabilities Act
Correct answer: 42 CFR Part 2
42 CFR Part 2 provides stricter confidentiality protections for substance use disorder records in federally assisted programs than general HIPAA requirements.
Question 3: A CASAC counselor experiencing compassion fatigue notices they are becoming irritable and detached with clients. The most ethical response is to:
- Continue working and push through the difficulty
- Seek personal supervision, consultation, or their own therapy (Correct answer)
- Refer all clients to other providers immediately
- Reduce caseload without informing the agency supervisor
Correct answer: Seek personal supervision, consultation, or their own therapy
Counselors have an ethical duty to monitor their own wellness and seek support when impairment may be affecting client care.
Question 4: In group counseling for substance use, confidentiality is:
- Guaranteed by HIPAA for all group members equally
- Not legally enforceable among group members but counselors should establish group agreements (Correct answer)
- Fully protected by 42 CFR Part 2 for all group participants
- Only applicable to what the counselor discloses outside the group
Correct answer: Not legally enforceable among group members but counselors should establish group agreements
Counselors cannot legally bind group members to confidentiality, but establishing clear group agreements is an ethical best practice.
Question 5: A client in recovery asks their CASAC to write a letter supporting their custody case. The counselor should:
- Refuse categorically, as advocacy is always outside the counselor's scope
- Consider the request carefully, obtain appropriate releases, and ensure the letter reflects only professional observations (Correct answer)
- Write the letter immediately to support the client's recovery goals
- Require the client to find a different provider before writing any external letters
Correct answer: Consider the request carefully, obtain appropriate releases, and ensure the letter reflects only professional observations
Collateral communications like custody letters are within scope but require proper authorization, boundaries, and professional objectivity.
Question 6: An ethics complaint is filed against a CASAC. During the investigation, the counselor should:
- Contact the complainant directly to resolve the matter privately
- Cooperate fully with the investigation while consulting with an attorney (Correct answer)
- Refuse to participate until the complaint is proven legitimate
- Immediately surrender their credentials to avoid further scrutiny
Correct answer: Cooperate fully with the investigation while consulting with an attorney
Counselors are expected to cooperate with ethics investigations while also protecting their own legal interests through appropriate counsel.
Question 7: A CASAC working in a faith-based treatment program is asked to incorporate religious content into sessions with a non-religious client. The counselor should:
- Comply fully since the agency's mission takes precedence over client preferences
- Impose religious content as it is standard in faith-based settings
- Discuss the program's approach transparently with the client and ensure truly informed consent (Correct answer)
- Refer the client elsewhere without discussion
Correct answer: Discuss the program's approach transparently with the client and ensure truly informed consent
Informed consent requires that clients understand how treatment will be conducted, including religious components, so they can make autonomous decisions.
CASAC Professional Ethics and Regulations 5
A counselor learns their supervisee has been falsifying group attendance records.
The supervisor's first ethical step should be: