American Counseling Association (ACA) 2014 Code of Ethics

Preamble

• ACA: Educational, scientific, and professional organization
• Core values:
  • Enhance human development across the lifespan
  • Honor diversity and embrace multiculturalism
  • Promote social justice
  • Safeguard counselor-client relationship integrity
  • Practice competently and ethically
• Ethical principles:
  • Autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, veracity

Purpose

• Defines ethical obligations and guidance for members
• Clarifies ethical responsibilities
• Supports ACA's mission
• Basis for processing inquiries and complaints

Section A: The Counseling Relationship

• Primary responsibility: Respect dignity and promote welfare
• Informed consent: Ongoing process, includes rights and responsibilities
• Confidentiality: Respect privacy, inform about its limits
• Avoiding harm: Minimize and remedy harm
• Personal values: Avoid imposing on clients
• Prohibited relationships: No sexual/romantic relationships with clients or former clients
• Managing boundaries: Document and consider risks of boundary extensions

Section B: Confidentiality and Privacy

• Trust is crucial in counseling
• Discuss confidentiality limitations with clients
• Exceptions: Harm prevention, legal requirements
• Information security: Maintain privacy and confidentiality

Section C: Professional Responsibility

• Maintain competence through education
• Accurate representation: Credentials and qualifications
• Avoid discrimination and sexual harassment
• Nondiscrimination: Respect diversity in practice

Section D: Relationships With Other Professionals

• Develop positive relationships with colleagues
• Respect different professional approaches
• Confidentiality in interdisciplinary teams

Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation

• Use assessments considering cultural context
• Competence: Only use assessments trained for
• Informed consent in assessments
• Proper diagnosis considering cultural sensitivity

Section F: Supervision, Training, and Teaching

• Supervisors: Monitor client welfare and supervisee performance
• Informed consent in supervision
• Competence in supervision methods
• Address multicultural issues in supervision

Section G: Research and Publication

• Conduct research ethically, respecting confidentiality
• Informed consent: Participants' rights and responsibilities
• Accurate reporting and acknowledgment of contributions

Section H: Distance Counseling, Technology, and Social Media

• Understand legal and ethical considerations
• Inform clients about risks and benefits
• Maintain confidentiality in technology-assisted services

Section I: Resolving Ethical Issues

• Use ethical decision-making models
• Address conflicts between ethics and laws
• Report ethical violations when necessary

Glossary of Terms

• Definitions of key concepts, e.g., confidentiality, informed consent

Additional Resources

• Free ethics consultation for ACA members
• Publications and webinars on ethical standards