 |
D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
 |
Title 17. BUSINESS, OCCUPATIONS, AND PROFESSIONALS |
|
Chapter 17-91. GRADUATE PROFESSIONAL COUNSELOR |
Section 17-9111. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
-
9111.1Graduate professional counselors shall not discriminate against clients because of age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status.
9111.2Graduate professional counselors shall inform clients, preferably in writing, regarding the counseling process and counseling relationship at or before the time counseling begins and throughout the relationship.9111.3 Graduate professional counselors shall make every effort to avoid dual relationship with clients that could impair their professional judgment or increase the risk of harm to clients. When a dual relationship cannot be avoided, graduate professional counselors shall take appropriate steps to ensure that their judgment is not impaired and that no exploitation occurs.
9111.4Graduate professional counselors shall not engage in any type of sexual intimacies with current clients and shall not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients within a minimum of two years after terminating the counseling relationship. Graduate professional counselors who engage in such a relationship after two years following termination shall have the responsibility to thoroughly examine and document that such relations did not have an exploitative nature.
9111.5Graduate professional counselors shall take reasonable precautions to protect clients from physical or psychological trauma resulting from interactions during group work.
9111.6Graduate professional counselors shall explain to clients, prior to their entering the counseling relationship, financial arrangements related to professional services.
9111.7Graduate professional counselors shall assist in making appropriate arrangements for the continuation of treatment of clients, when necessary, following termination of counseling relationship.
9111.8Graduate professional counselors shall avoid entering or immediately terminate a counseling relationship if it is determined that they are unable to be of professional assistance to a client. The counselors shall assist in making an appropriate referral to the client.
9111.9 Graduate professional counselors shall keep information related to counseling services confidential unless disclosure is in the best interest of clients, is required for the welfare of others, or is required by law.
9111.10 Graduate professional counselors shall take measures to ensure that subordinates maintain client privacy and confidentiality.
9111.11 Graduate professional counselors shall not disclose information about one family member in counseling to another family member without prior consent.
9111.12 Graduate professional counselors shall maintain appropriate confidentiality in creating, storing, accessing, transferring and disposing of counseling records.
9111.13 Graduate professional counselors shall obtain prior consent from clients in order to electronically record or observe sessions.
9111.14 Except as provided in § 9109.9, graduate professional counselors shall obtain client consent to disclose or transfer records to third parties.
9111.15 Graduate professional counselors shall disguise the identity of the client when using data for training, research or publication.
9111.16 Graduate professional counselors shall practice only within the boundaries of their competence.
9111.17 Graduate professional counselors shall engage in continuing education to maintain their professional competence.
9111.18 Graduate professional counselors shall refrain from offering professional services when their personal problems or conflicts may cause harm to a client or others.
9111.19 Graduate professional counselors shall accurately represent their credentials and services when advertising.
9111.20 Graduate professional counselors shall claim or imply only professional credentials possessed and shall correct any known misrepresentation of their credentials by others.
9111.21 Graduate professional counselors shall not engage in sexual harassment.
9111.22 With the consent of the client, graduate professional counselors shall inform other mental health professionals serving the same client that a counseling relationship between the counselor and client exists.
9111.23 Graduate professional counselors shall alert their employers when the employer’s institutional policies may be potentially disruptive or damaging to counselors' professional responsibilities or that may limit their effectiveness or deny clients' rights.
9111.24 Graduate professional counselors shall select competent staff and shall assign responsibilities compatible with staff skills and experiences.
9111.25 Graduate professional counselors shall not engage in exploitative relationships with individuals over whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or instructional control or authority.
9111.26 Graduate professional counselors shall not accept fees or other remuneration for consultation with persons entitled to such services through the counselors' employing agency or institution.
9111.27 Graduate professional counselors shall not accept referral fees.
9111.28 Graduate professional counselors shall perform only testing and assessment services for which they are competent.
9111.29 Graduate professional counselors shall not allow the use of psychological assessment techniques by unqualified persons under their supervision.
9111.30 Graduate professional counselors shall use assessment instruments in the manner for which they were intended.
9111.31 Graduate professional counselors shall provide explanations to clients prior to assessment about the nature and purposes of assessment and the specific uses of results.
9111.32 Graduate professional counselors shall ensure that accurate and appropriate interpretations accompany any release of testing and assessment information.
9111.33 Graduate professional counselors shall not base their assessment or intervention decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are obsolete or outdated for the current purpose.
9111.34 Graduate professional counselors shall give credit to students or supervisees for their contributions to research and scholarly projects.
9111.35 Graduate professional counselors who offer clinical supervision services shall be trained and prepared in supervision methods and techniques.
9111.36 Graduate professional counselors shall clearly state to students and supervisees in advance of training, the levels of competency expected, appraisal methods, and timing of evaluations. Graduate professional counselors shall provide students and supervisees periodic performance appraisals and evaluation feedback throughout the training program.
9111.37 Graduate professional counselors shall make every effort to ensure that the rights of peers are not violated when students and supervisees are assigned to lead counseling groups or provide clinical supervision.
9111.38 Graduate professional counselors shall assist students and supervisees in securing remedial assistance, when needed, and shall dismiss from the training program students and supervisees who are unable to provide competent services due to academic or personal limitations.
9111.39 Graduate professional counselors who lead experiential trainings for students or supervisees shall not be influenced by the students' and supervisees' self disclosure when assigning grades.
9111.40 Students and supervisees preparing to become graduate professional counselors shall adhere to the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice of counselors.
9111.41 Graduate professional counselors shall avoid causing physical, social or psychological harm or injury to subjects of research.
9111.42 Graduate professional counselors shall keep confidential information obtained about research participants.
9111.43 Graduate professional counselors shall report all variables and conditions known to the investigators that may affect research data or outcomes.
9111.44 Graduate professional counselors shall not distort or misrepresent research data or fabricate or intentionally bias research results.
9111.45 Graduate professional counselors shall give appropriate credit to those who have contributed to research and publications.
9111.46 Graduate professional counselors shall take appropriate action when they reasonably believe that counselors or other mental health professionals are acting in an unethical manner.
9111.47Graduate professional counselors shall not initiate, participate in, or encourage the filing of ethical complaints that are unwarranted, or intended to harm a mental health professional rather than to protect clients or the public.
9111.48A licensee, student or graduate practicing professional counseling pursuant to this chapter shall adhere to the standards set forth in the most recent edition of the Code of Ethics as published by the American Counseling Association.