CRS Ethical Boundaries 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client discloses they are currently abusing a child in their care. The CRS must:
- Keep the information confidential per HIPAA rules
- Report immediately to child protective services as a mandated reporter (Correct answer)
- Warn the client that you may need to report before filing
- Consult with the client about the best course of action
Correct answer: Report immediately to child protective services as a mandated reporter
Mandated reporting laws require immediate reporting of known or suspected child abuse, superseding confidentiality obligations.
Question 2: A CRS who meets a former client at a recovery event two years after discharge should:
- Acknowledge the client warmly but maintain appropriate professional discretion (Correct answer)
- Pretend not to recognize the client to protect confidentiality
- Discuss the client's treatment history openly since services have ended
- Immediately reopen services since the client may still be in need
Correct answer: Acknowledge the client warmly but maintain appropriate professional discretion
Acknowledging a former client respectfully while not discussing treatment details maintains dignity and appropriate confidentiality.
Question 3: Which ethical principle supports a client's right to make their own recovery decisions, even if the CRS disagrees?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Fidelity
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy recognizes that clients have the right to self-determination and to make informed choices about their own recovery journey.
Question 4: A CRS lends money to a client experiencing a financial crisis. This action is best characterized as:
- An act of beneficence that demonstrates genuine care
- A boundary violation that creates a financial dual relationship (Correct answer)
- Acceptable if the amount is under $20
- Permitted in rural settings with limited resources
Correct answer: A boundary violation that creates a financial dual relationship
Lending money to a client creates a financial entanglement that fundamentally compromises the professional relationship.
Question 5: Cultural humility in ethical practice requires a CRS to:
- Apply the same ethical standards uniformly regardless of cultural context
- Recognize the limits of their cultural knowledge and remain open to learning (Correct answer)
- Avoid working with clients from different cultural backgrounds
- Follow a client's cultural norms even when they conflict with professional ethics
Correct answer: Recognize the limits of their cultural knowledge and remain open to learning
Cultural humility involves an ongoing commitment to self-reflection and learning about diverse cultural perspectives in service delivery.
Question 6: A recovery specialist begins experiencing burnout and notices declining quality in client interactions. The ethical response is to:
- Continue working to fulfill the commitment to current clients
- Seek supervision, reduce caseload, and engage in self-care practices (Correct answer)
- Take an unannounced leave without transferring clients
- Limit sessions to five minutes to minimize client contact
Correct answer: Seek supervision, reduce caseload, and engage in self-care practices
Addressing burnout proactively through supervision and self-care upholds the ethical duty to provide competent services.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of countertransference that requires clinical attention?
- Feeling empathy when a client describes a difficult childhood
- Becoming angry at a client who reminds you of an estranged family member (Correct answer)
- Setting a firm cancellation policy with all clients
- Documenting session notes promptly after each meeting
Correct answer: Becoming angry at a client who reminds you of an estranged family member
Countertransference occurs when the specialist's unresolved issues are triggered by the client and distort the professional relationship.
CRS Ethical Boundaries 4
A client discloses they are currently abusing a child in their care.
The CRS must: