CRC Advocacy & Professional Responsibility 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recovery coach's primary role during a court-mandated treatment situation is to:
- Report all client disclosures directly to the court as required by law
- Provide peer support while helping the client navigate the legal and treatment system (Correct answer)
- Act as an intermediary who makes treatment decisions on the client's behalf
- Advocate for the client by challenging the court order if the client disagrees
Correct answer: Provide peer support while helping the client navigate the legal and treatment system
In court-mandated situations, the recovery coach supports the client in understanding and navigating both the legal requirements and treatment process.
Question 2: Which scenario represents an appropriate use of a recovery coach's lived experience?
- Telling a client exactly what recovery path worked for the coach and instructing them to follow it
- Using personal recovery experience to build rapport and normalize the recovery journey for the client (Correct answer)
- Sharing detailed personal relapse stories in every session to maintain client trust
- Avoiding mention of personal experience to maintain strict professional distance
Correct answer: Using personal recovery experience to build rapport and normalize the recovery journey for the client
Lived experience is used purposefully to build rapport and normalize recovery, not to prescribe a specific path or overshare in ways that shift focus from the client.
Question 3: A client discloses they are currently selling substances to support their family. Under mandatory reporting guidelines, a recovery coach is required to report:
- All illegal activity disclosed during sessions regardless of context
- Only situations involving imminent danger to an identified person or child abuse (Correct answer)
- Any information that could result in criminal charges against the client
- Nothing, because all client information is protected under absolute confidentiality
Correct answer: Only situations involving imminent danger to an identified person or child abuse
Mandatory reporting requirements apply to imminent danger and child abuse situations, not general illegal activity disclosed in coaching sessions.
Question 4: When a recovery coach disagrees with a treatment team's decision about a client, the BEST approach is to:
- Tell the client to reject the treatment team's recommendation
- Raise concerns professionally within the team and document the disagreement (Correct answer)
- Remain silent to avoid conflict and defer entirely to clinical staff
- Contact the client's family to build support against the decision
Correct answer: Raise concerns professionally within the team and document the disagreement
Recovery coaches contribute perspective to the treatment team professionally and document disagreements, advocating within appropriate channels rather than undermining the team.
Question 5: The concept of 'scope of practice' for recovery coaches primarily means:
- Recovery coaches can provide any support service the client requests
- Recovery coaches must operate within defined roles, avoiding clinical or medical functions (Correct answer)
- Recovery coaches are legally prohibited from discussing medications with clients
- Recovery coaches have broader authority than peers but less than case managers
Correct answer: Recovery coaches must operate within defined roles, avoiding clinical or medical functions
Scope of practice defines the boundaries of recovery coaching, ensuring coaches operate in peer support roles without crossing into clinical or medical functions.
Question 6: A recovery coach receives a gift from a grateful client at the end of their work together. The MOST appropriate response is to:
- Accept the gift to honor the client's gesture and avoid seeming ungrateful
- Consult organizational policy, and if prohibited, graciously decline and explain the reason (Correct answer)
- Accept only small gifts valued under $20 as this is standard practice
- Redirect the client to give the gift to the organization instead of the coach
Correct answer: Consult organizational policy, and if prohibited, graciously decline and explain the reason
Recovery coaches should consult and follow organizational policy on gift acceptance, explaining the professional boundary if declining is required.
Question 7: Advocacy for recovery-friendly workplace policies MOST directly helps clients by:
- Guaranteeing employers cannot terminate employees in recovery for any reason
- Reducing stigma and practical barriers that affect employment stability during recovery (Correct answer)
- Providing legal protections identical to disability status for all people in recovery
- Ensuring clients do not have to disclose their recovery status to any employer
Correct answer: Reducing stigma and practical barriers that affect employment stability during recovery
Recovery-friendly workplace advocacy reduces stigma and structural barriers, improving employment access and stability as a key recovery support.
CRC Advocacy & Professional Responsibility 3
A recovery coach's primary role during a court-mandated treatment situation is to: