The American Counseling Association (ACA) is a non-commercial organization uniting professional consultants. Its purpose is to promote the development of the profession of a consultant to apply their knowledge in empowering people to develop their capacities and maintain their psychological health. Consultants should act following ethical principles, and ACA has created a Code of Ethics to explain the ethical issues of their work. It consists of nine sections dealing with ethical standards, which should guide consultants’ actions, especially during decision-making in various aspects of the activity.
Section A “The Counseling Relationship,” provides ethical guidance on the features of the relationship between consultants and their clients. Their interaction should be aimed only at ensuring the client’s well-being and should not cause harm, and accordingly, there are certain restrictions (American Counseling Association, 2014). One of the critical aspects revealed in the section is the client’s need to understand all actions and approaches and the consultant’s duty to ensure this awareness. In particular, this is important for obtaining informed consent for the provision of counseling services. Consulting relationships should also remain professional only, which imposes restrictions on personal interactions.
The relations between the consultant and the client are based on trust, the foundation of which is the preservation of confidential information and privacy – they are discussed in the second section. Consultants must respect the client’s views, can keep records necessary for the construction of work plans, and have to carefully protect the received information. Only a few exceptions allow them to disclose private data – if it threatens someone’s security, with the client’s permission, or by court order.
The “Professional Responsibility” section emphasizes the importance of the consultants’ competence and responsibility as the profession’s representatives. They must work and consult only according to the level of knowledge and experience obtained while constantly continuing education (American Counseling Association, 2014). Consultants cannot deliberately deceive and manipulate for their benefit, for example they cannot argue that their degree is higher than it really is. Simultaneously, professionals also direct their actions for the people’s well-being without sharing any discriminatory views.
Section D, “Relationships With Other Professionals,” notes that consultants respect their colleagues’ practices and approaches. Consultants can cooperate if they see that the client needs the help of another consultant or forming an interdisciplinary team. When entering the organization, consultants pay attention to its policy and can agree to it or propose changes. The section also reiterates the importance of confidentiality and awareness in the work of the consultant.
To provide practical advice, consultants may need an assessment, the process for obtaining and using which is dedicated to Section E, “Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation.” A consultant can only make the assessment with the necessary competence and the client’s consent. For the process, professionals must select the right tool, determine the appropriate conditions for the conduct, take into consideration the culture’s influence on the client and other factors. In some cases, the evaluation is conducted for legal proceedings, and consultants in such circumstances need to avoid personal and professional relationships with the evaluated individual.
Section F, “Supervision, Training, and Teaching,” reveals the ethical features of the relationship between learning consultants and supervisors. The activities of both are aimed at the clients’ well-being, and supervisors provide subordinates with knowledge about important aspects of the work, in particular ethics. Trainers and teachers should have the necessary competence to educate their students. Relations between teachers and trained consultants must remain professional and have limitations.
The activities of consultants have a scientific basis and are constantly developing as professionals conduct various studies. This activity area is also governed by the ethical standards presented in section G. The analyses are carried out, taking into account the regulation of confidentiality, informed consent, clarification of goals, and results to participants. At the same time, there are typical restrictions on actions, which can harm someone. Moreover, consultants need to respect colleagues’ work, avoid plagiarism, and recognize the achievements of researchers in the field they are engaged in.
The development of modern technologies provides additional opportunities and imposes new obligations. Section H describes the ethical aspects of working with technology. Clients choose if they apply them in consultation after receiving information from a professional about all the advantages and disadvantages. Consultants assess how effective this work format is and, if necessary, seek opportunities for face-to-face meetings. With the personal use of social networks, consultants maintain their image as a professional. Information about the client presented on the Internet is not viewed without personal permission.
The latest Section I, “Resolving Ethical Issues,” emphasizes the importance of using the ACA code of ethics. Consultants may receive advice from their colleagues on controversial ethical issues, but they must all be guided by the ACA code in all their actions. Knowing the violation of another code consultant, colleagues can report the incident. However, such an opportunity should not be used for manipulation and self-benefit. The code ends with a glossary of terms, which may require an unambiguous explanation and an index.
Thus, the Code of Ethics provides practical guidance for consultants’ work to ensure that their activities conform to ethical standards. Adherence to the code will help consultants make decisions in their actions and resolve controversial issues. Moreover, the code serves the consultants’ clients and is designed to guarantee their well-being. The code supports the mission of ACA to contribute to the profession of a consultant, improving the quality of people’s lives, and protecting human dignity and diversity.
Reference
American Counseling Association (ACA). (2014). Code of ethics. American Counseling Association. Web.