FREE CAADC Professional Ethics and Confidentiality Questions and Answers

Question 1

What is the primary purpose of the federal confidentiality regulations known as 42 CFR Part 2?

Accepted Answer

To protect the confidentiality of individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders from federally assisted programs.

Answer

42 CFR Part 2 provides stringent protections for the records of patients in federally assisted substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs. Its goal is to encourage people to seek treatment without fear that their information will be disclosed and used against them.

Question 2

Under 42 CFR Part 2, a written consent form to release a client's substance use disorder information is NOT considered valid unless it includes:

Accepted Answer

The specific name or title of the individual or organization to whom the disclosure is to be made.

Answer

A valid consent form under 42 CFR Part 2 must be highly specific to prevent broad or unintended disclosures. It must clearly state who is releasing the information, who is receiving it, the specific information to be released, the purpose of the release, and an expiration date.

Question 3

A client from your federally assisted SUD program is brought unconscious to a hospital emergency room. The ER doctor calls your program for information to treat the patient. According to 42 CFR Part 2, you can release information without the client's consent because:

Accepted Answer

This constitutes a bona fide medical emergency.

Answer

42 CFR Part 2 allows for disclosure without patient consent in a bona fide medical emergency to medical personnel who need the information to treat a condition that poses an immediate threat to the patient's health. The disclosure must be limited to the information necessary to address the emergency.

Question 4

A counselor is in recovery and attends the same 12-step meetings as a former client. To maintain ethical boundaries, the counselor's most appropriate course of action is to:

Accepted Answer

Discuss and establish clear boundaries with the former client about their roles in that setting.

Answer

Dual relationships can be complex, especially in the recovery community. The most ethical approach is to address the situation directly and professionally, establishing that at the meeting, they are both peers in recovery and the therapeutic relationship is separate and has concluded.

Question 5

A counselor learns during a session that a client has been abusing their child. Regarding 42 CFR Part 2 and state mandatory reporting laws:

Accepted Answer

State mandatory reporting laws for child abuse and neglect generally supersede the confidentiality protections of 42 CFR Part 2.

Answer

While 42 CFR Part 2 is very strict, it does not override state laws that mandate the reporting of child abuse and neglect. Counselors are required to comply with their state's reporting laws, and the regulations provide pathways for making such reports.

CAADC - Certified Advanced Addiction & Drug Counselor Practice Test

CAADC - Certified Advanced Addiction & Drug Counselor Practice Test

FREE CAADC Professional Ethics and Confidentiality Questions and Answers