NBCC Professional Orientation, Ethics & Legal Issues 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a counselor refers a client to another professional, the referring counselor's ethical obligations include:
- Providing the new counselor with a full case conceptualization without client consent
- Following up to ensure the referral was successfully completed (Correct answer)
- Continuing to see the client simultaneously with the new provider
- Billing the client for the time spent making the referral
Correct answer: Following up to ensure the referral was successfully completed
Counselors have an ethical responsibility to follow up and ensure continuity of care when making referrals, particularly for vulnerable clients.
Question 2: The ACA ethical standard regarding personal values states that counselors should:
- Share their personal values openly to help clients develop morally
- Avoid imposing personal values on clients and respect diverse value systems (Correct answer)
- Decline to work with clients whose values conflict with their own
- Incorporate their cultural and religious values into all treatment plans
Correct answer: Avoid imposing personal values on clients and respect diverse value systems
Counselors must be aware of their own values and refrain from imposing them on clients, respecting each client's right to their own worldview.
Question 3: A client who signed a release of information months ago now wants to revoke that release. The counselor should:
- Honor the revocation immediately and stop any further disclosures (Correct answer)
- Explain that releases cannot be revoked once signed
- Continue disclosing until the original release period expires
- Require a written explanation before honoring the revocation
Correct answer: Honor the revocation immediately and stop any further disclosures
Clients have the right to revoke releases of information at any time, and the counselor must honor the revocation and halt further disclosures immediately.
Question 4: In counseling ethics, 'nonmaleficence' means that a counselor must:
- Actively promote the welfare and growth of all clients
- Avoid causing harm to clients through actions or inactions (Correct answer)
- Treat all clients fairly regardless of their background
- Keep all promises made to clients during the counseling relationship
Correct answer: Avoid causing harm to clients through actions or inactions
Nonmaleficence is the obligation to avoid inflicting harm—physically, psychologically, or financially—on clients.
Question 5: A counselor in private practice wants to terminate services with a client because the client can no longer afford the fee. The most ethical course of action is to:
- Terminate immediately to avoid financial hardship to the practice
- Provide adequate notice, assist with referrals, and discuss lower-cost options (Correct answer)
- Continue services indefinitely at no charge
- Refer the client to a free clinic without discussing it first
Correct answer: Provide adequate notice, assist with referrals, and discuss lower-cost options
Ethical termination requires adequate notice, discussion of alternatives, and referral to appropriate resources to prevent client abandonment.
Question 6: Which of the following describes an 'ethical dilemma' in counseling?
- A situation where the counselor is unsure of the correct diagnosis
- A situation where two or more ethical principles conflict and both cannot be fully honored (Correct answer)
- A client who refuses to follow the counselor's recommendations
- A disagreement between a counselor and supervisor about treatment approach
Correct answer: A situation where two or more ethical principles conflict and both cannot be fully honored
An ethical dilemma occurs when competing ethical principles (e.g., autonomy vs. beneficence) are in conflict, making it impossible to fully satisfy all obligations.
Question 7: Under the ACA Code of Ethics, technology-assisted distance counseling requires counselors to:
- Obtain an additional license in every state where the client resides
- Ensure informed consent specifically addresses the unique risks and limitations of distance counseling (Correct answer)
- Only use platforms approved by the federal government
- Conduct an in-person session before any online sessions are permitted
Correct answer: Ensure informed consent specifically addresses the unique risks and limitations of distance counseling
Counselors providing distance services must ensure clients are fully informed about the specific risks, limitations, and procedures unique to technology-assisted counseling.
NBCC Professional Orientation, Ethics & Legal Issues 5
When a counselor refers a client to another professional, the referring counselor's ethical obligations include: