Ethics and Boundary Issues E097J

Course Summary

Practice Level: Intermediate

While each of the helping professions has its own distinct code of ethics that its members must follow, they all share common general principles and values to ensure their clients’ best interest and safety. Although this aim is straightforward in theory, it is challenging in practice to navigate the complex circumstances and, at times, dilemmas that arise throughout the course of work in human services. Ethical standards are often written in a necessarily broad way to address the variety of unpredictable ways that human relationships and contexts may interact and manifest. Scholarship and discourse to translate ethical standards into decision-making guidelines and practical application are needed, in addition to peer and supervisory consultation. Clinicians must take into consideration the context, cultural values, and individual characteristics of each client and situation they encounter when ethical concerns arise.

This learning material, designed for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists, presents information about the ethical values, standards, and principles that guide client or patient care, as well as several guidelines for making ethical decisions when dilemmas inevitably arise.  The learning material differentiates between violations and dilemmas and participants are offered an exploration of the intersection between ethical and legal requirements for practice. This learning material examines a wide variety of ethical challenges common to clinical practice and provides examples to apply these concepts to real world experience with clients. It also discusses current research on emerging concerns such as dual relationships, telehealth, and social media. Multiple case examples throughout this learning material provide opportunities to put these ethical considerations into practice, including the participant’s own specific work and case concerns. 

Course Format

This course contains downloadable online lessons (PDF) and a practice test.

This course contains downloadable online lessons (PDF) and a practice test. When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the major ethical principles of mental health and human services professionals and common ethical dilemmas. 
2. Describe confidentiality, the limits of confidentiality, and informed consent in clinical practice. 
3. Explain competence and steps clinicians can take toward maintenance of competence. 
4. Recognize the risks and challenges of dual and consecutive relationships with clients and other boundary issues. 
5. Identify ethical issues related to emerging topics in mental health care, such as telehealth, artificial intelligence, and social media. 
6. Describe ethical decision-making strategies. 

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
• Ethics and Professional Codes of Ethics
  • Conceptions of Ethics Over Time
  • Overview of Professional Codes of Ethics
  • Ethical and Legal Intersections
• Ethical Principles and Common Values
  • Nonmaleficence
  • Autonomy
  • Beneficence
  • Justice
• Confidentiality
• Duties to Protect and Warn
• Informed Consent
• Professional and Cultural Competence
• Dual and Consecutive Relationships
  • Non-Sexual Dual Relationships
  • Sexual Relationships with Clients
• Boundary Issues
  • Giving and Receiving Gifts
  • Bartering in Psychotherapy Practice
  • Physical Contact with Clients
• Emerging Concepts in Ethics
• Ethical Decision-Making
  • Hierarchies of Ethical Principles
  • Ethical Decision-Making Process
  • The Transcultural Integrative Model
  • ETHICS Model
  • Ethical Decision-Making in Practice
• Ethical Challenges in Practice
• Summary
• References

Author

Jessie Timmons, LCSW

Jessie Timmons, LCSW, is a seasoned therapist and teacher of social work, as well as a practiced advocate for cultural humility and inclusive advocacy. She is an adjunct assistant professor at Temple University’s School of Social Work and has served for 10 years on the board of the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW), including one term as board president. Her teaching and professional development have focused on ethical and competent clinical social work practice.

Accreditation Approval Statements

CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/8/24-8/8/27.

Social workers completing this course receive 3 ethics continuing education credits.

This course has been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345, CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

CE4Less.com has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6991. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE4Less.com is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Level Education Group, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0835.

We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.