CRC Ethics 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A rehabilitation counselor learns that a client plans to commit a nonviolent crime that would only harm the client financially. Ethically, the counselor should:
- Break confidentiality and notify law enforcement immediately
- Discuss the potential consequences with the client without breaching confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Terminate services to avoid being complicit
- Do nothing, as the Tarasoff duty only applies to third-party harm
Correct answer: Discuss the potential consequences with the client without breaching confidentiality
Since the harm is only to the client and is nonviolent, the counselor's duty is to explore the issue therapeutically rather than breach confidentiality.
Question 2: What distinguishes ethical misconduct from poor professional judgment in rehabilitation counseling?
- Ethical misconduct always involves criminal behavior
- Ethical misconduct involves violations of the profession's code, while poor judgment reflects suboptimal but well-intentioned practice (Correct answer)
- Poor judgment is always worse than ethical misconduct
- There is no practical difference between the two concepts
Correct answer: Ethical misconduct involves violations of the profession's code, while poor judgment reflects suboptimal but well-intentioned practice
Ethical misconduct involves intentional or negligent violations of professional standards, while poor judgment reflects skill deficits without intentional wrongdoing.
Question 3: A client discloses they have a communicable disease but refuses to inform their partner. The CRC should:
- Always breach confidentiality to protect the partner
- Assess the seriousness of the risk and consult applicable law before determining whether disclosure is warranted (Correct answer)
- Never disclose, as confidentiality is absolute
- Encourage the client to disclose while making the decision for them
Correct answer: Assess the seriousness of the risk and consult applicable law before determining whether disclosure is warranted
The CRC must weigh the seriousness of the risk and applicable state laws, as some jurisdictions permit or require disclosure of certain communicable diseases to protect third parties.
Question 4: In group rehabilitation counseling settings, confidentiality is best addressed by:
- Informing clients that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed since it depends on all group members (Correct answer)
- Having the counselor maintain strict confidentiality while group members have no obligation
- Using only written contracts that legally bind all group members
- Avoiding sensitive disclosures in group settings entirely
Correct answer: Informing clients that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed since it depends on all group members
Counselors must inform group members at the outset that while they will maintain confidentiality, they cannot guarantee that all group members will do so.
Question 5: The CRC Code of Ethics requires counselors to maintain competence primarily by:
- Restricting practice to only techniques learned in graduate school
- Engaging in continuing education and supervision to stay current in areas of practice (Correct answer)
- Consulting with colleagues only when facing novel situations
- Limiting caseloads to prevent burnout
Correct answer: Engaging in continuing education and supervision to stay current in areas of practice
The CRC Code obligates counselors to maintain and improve competence through ongoing professional development, including continuing education and supervision.
Question 6: A rehabilitation counselor employed by a state agency believes an agency policy violates ethical standards. The most appropriate course of action is to:
- Comply with the policy since employer directives supersede ethical codes
- Attempt to change the policy through appropriate channels while avoiding actions that harm clients (Correct answer)
- Immediately resign in protest
- Ignore the policy and follow only the ethical code
Correct answer: Attempt to change the policy through appropriate channels while avoiding actions that harm clients
CRCs facing conflicts between employer policies and ethical standards should work through legitimate channels to change problematic policies while protecting client welfare in the meantime.
Question 7: When terminating services with a client, the CRC's primary ethical obligation is to:
- Complete a final billing and close the file
- Ensure the client has appropriate referrals and transition support to avoid abandonment (Correct answer)
- Obtain a release of records for future providers
- Document the reason for termination in case of a future complaint
Correct answer: Ensure the client has appropriate referrals and transition support to avoid abandonment
The CRC Code prohibits client abandonment and requires counselors to provide proper referrals and transition planning when terminating services.
CRC Ethics 4
A rehabilitation counselor learns that a client plans to commit a nonviolent crime that would only harm the client financially.
Ethically, the counselor should: