CBHT Ethical and Professional Conduct 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BHT discovers they have a personal social media connection with a client. The most appropriate response is to:
- Accept the connection because social media is informal
- Discuss it in session to understand the client's intent
- Immediately remove or decline the connection and report the situation to a supervisor (Correct answer)
- Restrict the client's profile so they cannot view personal posts
Correct answer: Immediately remove or decline the connection and report the situation to a supervisor
Social media connections with clients create dual relationships that compromise professional boundaries and must be avoided.
Question 2: Informed consent in behavioral health treatment requires that clients understand:
- Only the cost of services
- The nature of treatment, expected benefits, risks, and their right to refuse or withdraw (Correct answer)
- Only the diagnosis assigned to them
- The BHT's personal qualifications and certifications
Correct answer: The nature of treatment, expected benefits, risks, and their right to refuse or withdraw
Valid informed consent requires disclosure of treatment information, risks, benefits, alternatives, and the voluntary right to refuse.
Question 3: Which scenario most clearly illustrates a dual relationship?
- A BHT who works two jobs at different facilities
- A BHT who provides therapy to a neighbor and also sees them at community events (Correct answer)
- A BHT who has two supervisors within the same agency
- A BHT who treats clients with co-occurring disorders
Correct answer: A BHT who provides therapy to a neighbor and also sees them at community events
A dual relationship occurs when a professional has both a therapeutic and a personal role with the same individual, creating a conflict of interest.
Question 4: Mandatory reporting laws for child abuse require BHTs to report when:
- They have absolute proof of abuse confirmed by law enforcement
- They have reasonable suspicion that abuse has occurred (Correct answer)
- The child's parents consent to a report being filed
- The abuse is confirmed by a licensed clinician on the team
Correct answer: They have reasonable suspicion that abuse has occurred
Mandatory reporters are required to report reasonable suspicion of child abuse, not certainty or proven fact.
Question 5: Which of the following is a core principle of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)?
- Clients must receive copies of all staff notes upon request at no charge
- Protected health information may only be shared without consent for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations (Correct answer)
- All clinical staff must store records on encrypted personal devices
- Supervisors may access any client's record regardless of involvement in care
Correct answer: Protected health information may only be shared without consent for treatment, payment, or healthcare operations
HIPAA permits disclosure of PHI without client authorization only in specific circumstances such as treatment, payment, or healthcare operations.
Question 6: Self-disclosure by a BHT during a session with a client is generally considered appropriate only when:
- The client directly asks personal questions about the BHT
- It serves a clear therapeutic purpose and is brief (Correct answer)
- The BHT and client have an established friendship
- It helps the BHT process their own emotional responses
Correct answer: It serves a clear therapeutic purpose and is brief
Therapeutic self-disclosure is only appropriate when it is clinically intentional and benefits the client's treatment, not the provider's personal needs.
Question 7: A BHT is experiencing significant personal stress that is affecting job performance. The most ethical step is to:
- Continue working and resolve it without involving the workplace
- Seek supervision and consider accessing employee assistance resources (Correct answer)
- Take on fewer clients without informing the supervisor
- Ask a trusted client for emotional support during sessions
Correct answer: Seek supervision and consider accessing employee assistance resources
Ethical practice requires BHTs to monitor their own wellness and seek support when personal issues impair their ability to provide competent care.
CBHT Ethical and Professional Conduct 3
A BHT discovers they have a personal social media connection with a client.
The most appropriate response is to: