CPCE Professional Orientation & Ethics 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A counselor is subpoenaed for client records in a custody dispute. The client has not consented to disclosure. The counselor should:
- Comply immediately since a subpoena is a legal order
- Consult an attorney, assert privilege on the client's behalf, and notify the client (Correct answer)
- Destroy records to protect the client
- Release records only to the judge, not attorneys
Correct answer: Consult an attorney, assert privilege on the client's behalf, and notify the client
A subpoena does not automatically override privilege; counselors should assert privilege on the client's behalf and seek legal guidance before releasing records.
Question 2: The NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors) credential most commonly held by professional counselors is the:
- CACREP Accreditation Certificate
- National Certified Counselor (NCC) (Correct answer)
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
- Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC)
Correct answer: National Certified Counselor (NCC)
The National Certified Counselor (NCC) is the flagship credential awarded by the NBCC to counselors who meet national certification standards.
Question 3: A counselor suspects a colleague is impaired by substance use during work hours. Ethically, the counselor is obligated to:
- Ignore it unless a client is directly harmed
- Report concerns to the appropriate professional or licensing body to protect clients (Correct answer)
- Confront the colleague privately and take no further action
- Cover for the colleague to avoid workplace conflict
Correct answer: Report concerns to the appropriate professional or licensing body to protect clients
ACA ethics require counselors to address colleague impairment through appropriate channels to protect clients from harm.
Question 4: Which of the following scenarios constitutes an appropriate exception to confidentiality?
- A client's parent requests session summaries for their 19-year-old adult child
- A client discloses credible, specific plans to harm an identifiable third party (Correct answer)
- An insurance company requests detailed session notes for billing review
- A client's employer inquires about attendance at counseling sessions
Correct answer: A client discloses credible, specific plans to harm an identifiable third party
The duty to warn (Tarasoff principle) requires breaking confidentiality when a client poses a serious, imminent, and identifiable threat to another person.
Question 5: CACREP accreditation of counseling programs primarily ensures:
- Graduates are automatically licensed in all states
- Programs meet national standards for counselor education quality and curriculum (Correct answer)
- Students receive free supervision after graduation
- Programs are exempt from state licensing board oversight
Correct answer: Programs meet national standards for counselor education quality and curriculum
CACREP sets and enforces national curriculum and faculty standards for counselor education programs to ensure graduate competency.
Question 6: A client asks a counselor to be their friend on social media. According to the ACA Code of Ethics, the counselor should:
- Accept to build a stronger therapeutic alliance
- Decline, as social media connections can blur professional boundaries and compromise confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Accept but only on professional platforms like LinkedIn
- Ask the client's permission before deciding
Correct answer: Decline, as social media connections can blur professional boundaries and compromise confidentiality
The ACA Code of Ethics cautions against online connections with clients that could undermine professional boundaries or compromise confidentiality.
Question 7: A counselor who charges sliding-scale fees based on client income is demonstrating which ethical principle?
- Nonmaleficence
- Autonomy
- Justice (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Justice
Justice in counseling includes fair and equitable access to services; sliding-scale fees help reduce socioeconomic barriers to care.
CPCE Professional Orientation & Ethics 4
A counselor is subpoenaed for client records in a custody dispute.
The client has not consented to disclosure.
The counselor should: