IC&RC Professional Ethics & Regulatory Compliance 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A group therapy member discloses another member's confidential information to outsiders. The counselor's ethical obligation includes:
- Taking no action since confidentiality rules apply only to counselors
- Addressing confidentiality expectations with the group and documenting the breach (Correct answer)
- Immediately terminating the disclosing member from the group
- Reporting the breach to law enforcement
Correct answer: Addressing confidentiality expectations with the group and documenting the breach
Counselors must address confidentiality violations within group settings, reinforce expectations with all members, and document the incident appropriately.
Question 2: Which of the following accurately describes 'professional disclosure'?
- A counselor revealing personal struggles to build rapport with a client
- A written statement provided to clients explaining the counselor's credentials, approach, fees, and rights (Correct answer)
- The process of disclosing a client's information to their employer
- Sharing session notes with other treatment team members
Correct answer: A written statement provided to clients explaining the counselor's credentials, approach, fees, and rights
Professional disclosure is a document that informs clients of the counselor's qualifications, theoretical approach, policies, and client rights before treatment begins.
Question 3: A supervisee tells their IC&RC-credentialed supervisor they made a documentation error that could affect a client's billing. The supervisor's ethical obligation is to:
- Correct the error quietly to protect the supervisee's reputation
- Guide the supervisee in properly correcting the record and understanding the ethical implications (Correct answer)
- Report the supervisee to the licensing board immediately
- Advise the supervisee to ignore it since it was unintentional
Correct answer: Guide the supervisee in properly correcting the record and understanding the ethical implications
Supervisors have an ethical duty to guide supervisees in correcting errors transparently and to use the situation as a learning opportunity.
Question 4: Under 42 CFR Part 2, which of the following does NOT require client consent for disclosure?
- Sharing records with a health insurer for billing
- Reporting a communicable disease to state health authorities as required by law (Correct answer)
- Providing records to a family member requesting progress updates
- Disclosing records to an employer who funded treatment
Correct answer: Reporting a communicable disease to state health authorities as required by law
42 CFR Part 2 includes specific exceptions for mandatory public health reporting such as communicable diseases, which do not require client authorization.
Question 5: An IC&RC credential holder moves to a new state. They must:
- Practice under their existing credential in the new state without any additional steps
- Verify reciprocity requirements and obtain any necessary state licensure before practicing (Correct answer)
- Apply for a new IC&RC credential as if they had no prior training
- Wait two years before applying for credentials in the new state
Correct answer: Verify reciprocity requirements and obtain any necessary state licensure before practicing
While IC&RC facilitates reciprocity across jurisdictions, credential holders must still verify and comply with the specific licensure requirements of their new state.
Question 6: Which ethical standard addresses the counselor's responsibility to accurately represent their qualifications in advertising?
- Nonmaleficence
- Veracity and public statements (Correct answer)
- Beneficence
- Fidelity and justice
Correct answer: Veracity and public statements
Ethical codes require counselors to make only truthful, accurate public statements about their credentials and services to prevent misleading clients or the public.
Question 7: A client in recovery brings the counselor a small gift worth approximately $5 as a token of gratitude at the end of treatment. The most ethical response is to:
- Refuse the gift firmly to maintain professional boundaries
- Accept the gift thoughtfully, considering cultural context and clinical implications, and document the decision (Correct answer)
- Accept the gift only if the client insists multiple times
- Report the gift to the supervisor and refuse it
Correct answer: Accept the gift thoughtfully, considering cultural context and clinical implications, and document the decision
Ethics codes generally allow acceptance of small, token gifts when refusal would be culturally insensitive or clinically harmful, provided the decision is documented and clinically considered.
IC&RC Professional Ethics & Regulatory Compliance 4
A group therapy member discloses another member's confidential information to outsiders.
The counselor's ethical obligation includes: