CRS Ethical Boundaries 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recovery specialist develops romantic feelings for a peer support client. What is the most ethical response?
- Immediately disclose feelings to the client to maintain honesty
- Transfer the client to another specialist and seek supervision (Correct answer)
- Continue the professional relationship while suppressing feelings
- Wait until the client discharges before pursuing any relationship
Correct answer: Transfer the client to another specialist and seek supervision
Transferring the client and seeking supervision protects the client and upholds professional boundary standards.
Question 2: Which scenario represents a boundary crossing rather than a boundary violation?
- Accepting a gift of significant monetary value from a client
- Attending a client's graduation ceremony when therapeutically appropriate (Correct answer)
- Sharing your personal home address with a client
- Engaging in a business partnership with a current client
Correct answer: Attending a client's graduation ceremony when therapeutically appropriate
A boundary crossing is a minor, often intentional deviation that may benefit the client, unlike a violation which is harmful.
Question 3: A CRS learns that a client is in a relationship with the specialist's sibling. What should the specialist do first?
- Continue services without disclosure since the relationship is not therapeutic
- Immediately terminate services without explanation
- Disclose the relationship to a supervisor and evaluate for conflict of interest (Correct answer)
- Ask the client to keep the relationship confidential
Correct answer: Disclose the relationship to a supervisor and evaluate for conflict of interest
Disclosing the third-party relationship to a supervisor allows for an objective assessment of potential conflicts of interest.
Question 4: When is it permissible for a recovery specialist to accept a client's social media friend request?
- When the client initiates the request
- When the specialist and client share mutual friends
- Generally never, as it blurs professional boundaries (Correct answer)
- After the client has been discharged for six months
Correct answer: Generally never, as it blurs professional boundaries
Social media connections with clients are generally discouraged because they obscure the professional boundary and expose personal information.
Question 5: A client offers to clean the specialist's home in exchange for extra session time. This arrangement is best described as:
- An acceptable barter if services are of equal value
- A boundary violation involving a dual relationship (Correct answer)
- A reasonable accommodation for an underserved client
- Permissible if documented in the service plan
Correct answer: A boundary violation involving a dual relationship
Bartering services creates a dual relationship that can complicate the professional dynamic and lead to exploitation.
Question 6: Which principle guides the ethical rule that recovery specialists should not exploit clients for personal gain?
- Autonomy
- Beneficence
- Non-maleficence (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Non-maleficence
Non-maleficence means 'do no harm,' which includes refraining from exploiting the power differential in the helping relationship.
Question 7: A CRS receives a subpoena for a client's records. The most appropriate first action is to:
- Immediately release all records to comply with the legal order
- Notify the client and consult legal counsel before releasing records (Correct answer)
- Refuse to comply because confidentiality cannot be broken
- Ask the client to contact the court directly
Correct answer: Notify the client and consult legal counsel before releasing records
Notifying the client and consulting legal counsel ensures the specialist responds appropriately while protecting the client's legal rights.
CRS Ethical Boundaries 2
A recovery specialist develops romantic feelings for a peer support client.
What is the most ethical response?