Addiction Professionals of North Carolina Code of Ethics

Preamble

Addiction Professionals of North Carolina (APNC) is a professional organization whose members are dedicated to uphold the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of each individual and thus be of maximum service to society. While pursuing these endeavors, members of APNC make every reasonable effort to protect the welfare of those who seek their services and to offer quality, professional care. They use their skills only for purposes consistent with these values and do not knowingly permit their misuse by others. Members of APNC are committed to protect the public against, and will not hesitate to expose, unethical, incompetent, and dishonorable practices.

Addiction Professionals of North Carolina recognizes that the role definitions and work settings of its members include a wide variety of disciplines, levels of academic preparation, and agency services. This diversity reflects the breadth of the organization's interests and influence. These ethical standards clarify to present and future members and to those served by its members, the nature of ethical responsibilities and the commitment to adherence to these principles embraced by its members. In pursuit of these ideals, this Code of Ethics has been developed.

PRINCIPLE 1. CONFIDENTIALITY

The Addiction Professional must respect the confidentiality of information obtained during the course of teaching, practice, or investigation. The disclosure of information to others is permitted only with the written consent of the client except in those situations in which not to do so would present in a clear danger to the client or to others.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Discusses information obtained from the client only for professional purposes and only with persons clearly concerned with the case.
  2. May disclose information about client(s) in a public forum only when client identifying information is adequately disguised.
  3. Must make provisions for maintaining confidentiality in the storage and disposal of records.
  4. Must obtain the client's written consent when recording an interview and when interviews are being observed by another person.
  5. Is responsible for assuring that disclosure of client information is in accordance with Federal Confidentiality Regulations. When information is released, a statement shall be clearly indicated on such written information stating that "this information has been disclosed to you from records whose confidentiality is protected by federal law. Federal regulations prohibit you from making further disclosure of it without the specific written consent of the person to whom it pertains, or as otherwise permitted by such regulations." Federal regulations take precedence over state statutes unless otherwise clearly not prohibited in the federal regulations and/or if state statutes are more strict while not being in conflict with federal regulations.

PRINCIPLE 2. COMPETENCE

The Addiction Professional must recognize that the profession is founded on established standards of competency which promote the best interests of society, the client, and the profession as a whole. The Addiction Professional must recognize the need for continuing education as a means of obtaining and maintaining professional competency by keeping current on scientific and professional information related to the services they render.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must recognize personal boundaries and limitations of professional competencies and not offer services outside these competencies.
  2. Must recognize the effect of impairment on professional performance and must be willing to seek appropriate treatment for oneself or for a colleague.
  3. Must recognize that personal problems may interfere with professional effectiveness. Accordingly, the Professional refrains from any relationship where personal problems may lead to inadequate performance and should suspend, terminate, or limit the scope of professional activities if indicated.
  4. Must only provide services and only use techniques when qualified by training and experience.
  5. Must accurately represent personal experience, competence, education, and training.
  6. Must recognize differences between people related to race, age, gender, socioeconomics, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability. When necessary, additional training is obtained in order to assure competent service to such persons.

PRINCIPLE 3. MORAL AND LEGAL STANDARDS

The Addiction Professional's moral and ethical standards are a personal matter except when these may compromise the fulfillment of professional responsibilities or reduce the public trust in our profession. The Addiction Professional is aware of the possible public impact personal behavior may have on a colleague's ability to perform professional duties. As teacher, the Addiction Professional is aware of the fact that personal beliefs and values may affect the selection and presentation of instructional materials. As employee or employer, the Addiction Professional does not engage in practices that are inhumane or that lead to illegal or unjustifiable actions such as decisions based on considerations of race, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation,

socioeconomics, national origin, or disability in hiring, promotion, or training. The acceptance of employment in an institution implies that the employee is in agreement with the general policies and principles of the organization; therefore, the professional activities of the Addiction Professional are also in accord with the objectives of the employer organization.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must not use employment as a means to recruit clients for private practice.
  2. Must obey civil and criminal laws and commit no act involving moral turpitude which would bring discredit to the profession; must uphold the legal and accepted moral codes which pertain to professional conduct; when federal, state, or institutional regulations or practices are in conflict with these standards and guidelines, must make known his/her commitment to these standards and work towards the resolution of the conflict.
  3. Must not claim directly or by implication, professional qualifications/affiliations that are not possessed by the Professional.
  4. Must not use affiliation with the Addiction Professionals of North Carolina for purposes that are not consistent with the stated purposes of the organization.
  5. Must not associate with or permit the Professional's name to be associated with any services, books, or other products in a way that is incorrect or misleading. Promotion of any products or books must be done in a professional and factual manner.
  6. Must not engage in conduct which involves fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or criminal activity. Must not authenticate any clinical document of which the Professional has not fully reviewed and supported. This behavior is contrary to the standards of the profession, and therefore unethical.

PRINCIPLE 4. PUBLIC STATEMENTS

Public statements, announcement of services, advertising, and promotional activities of the Addiction Professional serve the purpose of helping the public make informed judgments and choices. The Addiction Professional must represent accurately and objectively professional qualifications, affiliations, and functions, as well as those of the institutions and organizations with which the Professional or the statements may be associated; must respect the limits of present knowledge in public statements concerning chemical dependency; must acknowledge and document materials and techniques used; must report all information in a fair and accurate manner; and when conducting training in chemical dependency, must indicate to the audience the necessary training and qualifications required to properly perform these skills and techniques.

PRINCIPLE 5. PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Addiction Professional must act with due regard for the needs, competencies, and obligations of colleagues in the chemical dependency field; understand the varied areas of competence; and make full use of all professional, technical, and administrative resources to secure for clients the best resources available, including awareness of such resources within the community.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must be aware of and respect the traditions and practices of other professional and non-professional groups.
  2. Must treat colleagues with respect, courtesy and fairness, and afford the same courtesy to others.
  3. Must not condone or engage in sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as deliberate or repeated comments, gestures, or physical contacts of a sexual nature.
  4. Must not offer professional services to clients in counseling with another Professional except with the knowledge of the other Professional or after the client's termination of the client's relationship with the other Professional.
  5. When aware of an ethical violation by a colleague and it seems appropriate to do so, makes an informal attempt to resolve the issue by bringing the matter to the attention of the colleague. If the misconduct is of a minor nature and appears to be due to a lack of sensitivity, knowledge, or experience, such an informal solution is usually appropriate. If the violation is of a more serious nature, the matter must be brought to the attention of the Ethics Committee that governs the practice of the individual unless constrained by the demands of confidentiality.
  6. Must promptly cooperate with duly constituted Ethics Committees and supply necessary information.
  7. Must cooperate with colleagues to promote professional interests and concerns.

PRINCIPLE 6. NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Addiction Professional will not discriminate because of race, age, gender, socioeconomics, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability either in rendering service or employment.

PRINCIPLE 7. CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS

The Addiction Professional's primary obligation is to respect the integrity and to promote the welfare of the client. The Professional must be responsible for taking reasonable precautions in the group setting to protect individuals from physical and/or psychological trauma resulting from interaction with group; must be aware of the power of intimacy in the Client-Professional relationship; must maintain respect for the client and avoid engaging in any activities which seek to fulfill personal needs at the expense of the client; and must be aware that self-disclosure in the counseling relationship is appropriate only when it benefits the client.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must be aware that personal relationships and sexual conduct, not limited to sexual intercourse between an Addiction Professional and a client, is specifically a violation of the Code of Ethics. No relationships with clients, former clients, supervisees and supervisors which may compromise the client's or supervises well-being, impair the counselor's or supervisor's objectivity and professional judgment, or increase the risk of exploitation shall ever be permitted. This also includes the self-help sponsorship relationship.
  2. Must guard the individual rights and personal dignity of the client.

PRINCIPLE 8. CLIENT WELFARE

The Addiction Professional protects the welfare and respects the integrity of all people with whom the Professional works. The Addiction Professional is continually aware of personal and professional needs as well as the potentially influential position that exists with clients, students, and subordinates. The Addiction Professional avoids exploiting the trust and dependency of such persons.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must terminate a clinical relationship when it is clear the client is not benefitting from it and must assist the client in locating alternative forms of assistance. In a situation where a client refuses treatment, referral, or recommendations, the Professional must carefully consider the welfare of the client by carefully weighing the benefits of continued treatment of termination and must act in the best interest of the client.
  2. Must always be concerned primarily with the welfare of the client in the presence of professional conflict.
  3. Must inform clients of the purpose of an interview, testing, or evaluation and the ways in which information obtained in such sessions will be used before asking the client to reveal personal information or allowing such information to be divulged.
  4. Must ensure the presence of an appropriate setting for clinical work to protect the client from harm and the Professional from censure.
  5. Must inform the client of the purpose, goals, techniques, rules of procedure, and limitations that may affect the relationship before or at the time the counseling relationship is entered.
  6. Must clearly indicate to prospective participants all experimental methods of treatment and adhere to all proper safety precautions.
  7. Must not enter into a professional relationship with members of one's own family, intimate friends or close associates, or others whose welfare might be jeopardized by such a dual relationship.

PRINCIPLE 9. SOCIETAL OBLIGATIONS

The Addiction Professional must advocate changes in public policy and legislation to afford opportunity and choice for all persons whose lives are impaired by the disease of chemical dependency; must inform the public through active civic and professional participation in community affairs of the effects of chemical dependency; guarantee to make the effort that all persons, especially the disadvantaged, have access to the necessary resources and services; and adopt a personal and professional stance which promotes the well-being of all human beings.

PRINCIPLE 10. RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION

The Addiction Professional's decision to undertake research rests upon a considered judgment by the Professional regarding how to best contribute to science and human welfare. The Addiction Professional carries

out the research with respect and concern for the dignity and welfare of the people who participate and with cognizance of federal and state regulations and professional standards governing the conduct of research with human participants.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must be aware of and responsive to all pertinent ethical principles and ensure that the research problem, design, and execution are in full compliance with them.
  2. Must assume responsibility for ethical research practice while others involved in the research share ethical obligation and full responsibility for their own actions.
  3. Must assume responsibility for the subject's welfare throughout the research and must take all reasonable precautions to avoid causing injurious social, physical, or psychological effects on their subjects.
  4. Must inform all subjects of the purpose of the study except when withholding information is essential to the investigation. In such research, the Professional must be responsible for corrective action as soon as possible following the research.
  5. When reporting research results, explicit mention must be made of all variables and conditions known to the investigator that might effect the outcome of the investigation or the interpretation of the results.
  6. Must be responsible for conducting and reporting investigations in a manner that minimizes the possibility that results will be misleading.
  7. Must give due credit to those who have contributed significantly to the research and/or publication, in accordance with such contributions.
  8. Must communicate to other Professionals the results of any research judged to be of professional or scientific value. Results reflecting unfavorably on institutions, programs, services, or vested interests must not be withheld for such reasons.
  9. Must not submit the same manuscript or one essentially similar in content, for simultaneous publication consideration by two or more journals. In addition, manuscripts published in whole or substantial part, in another journal or publication should not be submitted for publication without acknowledgment and permission from the previous publication.

PRINCIPLE 11. REMUNERATION

The Addiction Professional must establish financial arrangements in professional practice and in accord with the professional standards that safeguard the best interests of the client, the Professional, and the profession.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must neither accept nor give commissions, rebates, or other forms of remuneration for referral of clients for professional services.
  2. Must not engage in improper direct solicitation of clients and must announce professional services fairly and accurately in a manner which will aid the public in making their own informed judgments, opinions, and choices and which avoids fraud and misrepresentation through sensationalism, exaggeration, or superficiality.
  3. In clinical or counseling practice, must not use the relationship with the client to promote personal gain or the profit of an agency or commercial enterprise of any kind.
  4. Must consider carefully the ability of the client to meet the financial cost in establishing rates for professional services.
  5. Must not accept a private fee or any other gift or gratuity for professional work with a person who is entitled to such services through an institution or agency where that Professional is currently employed.
  6. Must insure that communications about offered services are not deceptive.
  7. Must fully disclose the cost of services prior to the delivery of services.
  8. Must not engage in any behavior which may be construed as exploitation of facilities or clients for personal gain.

PRINCIPLE 12. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION

The Addiction Professional recognizes the need to be familiar with a range of abuse and addiction related appraisal techniques, their value and limitations. Test results constitute only one of a variety of pertinent sources of information for clinical decisions.

The Addiction Professional:

  1. Must provide specific orientation or information to the client before/after administration of testing so that testing may be placed in the proper perspective.
  2. Must recognize the limits of personal competence and perform only those functions for which the Professional is prepared. Different tests demand different levels of competence for administration, scoring, and interpretation.
  3. Must consider the appropriateness, validity, and reliability of any test administered to a client.

1995 Revision
Addiction Professionals of North Carolina
PO Box 71814
Durham, NC 27722-1814
919-479-8674