Ethical Problem-Solving and Confidentiality Flashcards

A peer specialist learns their supervisor is routinely sharing clients' personal recovery stories in staff meetings without consent. What is the most appropriate first step?

Answer: Document the concern and raise it with the supervisor directly

Addressing the concern directly with the supervisor first follows proper chain-of-command and gives the opportunity for correction before escalation.

A person in recovery discloses they occasionally use marijuana, which is illegal in their state. The peer specialist has no mandatory reporting obligation for this. What should the peer specialist do?

Answer: Maintain confidentiality and continue supportive services

Illegal substance use by an adult that does not trigger mandatory reporting obligations is protected under confidentiality and does not justify disclosure.

Which ethical principle requires a peer specialist to act in the best interest of the person being served, even when that conflicts with the specialist's own preferences?

Answer: Beneficence

Beneficence means actively promoting the well-being of the person served, prioritizing their interests over personal preferences.

A peer specialist is asked to co-facilitate a support group. One group member later discloses something privately to the peer specialist that was not shared in the group. How should this information be handled?

Answer: Keep it confidential unless a disclosure exception applies

Private disclosures outside a group setting are subject to standard confidentiality rules, separate from group dynamics.

When a peer specialist realizes mid-session that a situation exceeds their competency, the ethical response is to:

Answer: Refer or consult with a supervisor while supporting the person appropriately

Recognizing the limits of one's scope and seeking supervision or referral is a core ethical responsibility in peer support.

A peer specialist's friend works at a pharmacy and mentions seeing a mutual acquaintance picking up mental health medication. The peer specialist should:

Answer: Disregard the information and not act on it professionally

Unsolicited third-party information about a person's health should not be acted upon professionally or introduced into the support relationship.

A peer specialist faces a values conflict: their personal religious beliefs conflict with a person's lifestyle choices. The ethical obligation is to:

Answer: Provide nonjudgmental support regardless of personal beliefs

Peer specialists must set aside personal values that could interfere with providing nonjudgmental, person-centered support.