101319: Social Work Ethics: Risks, Error Management, Dual Relationships

About the Course:

The course contains two articles:

Article 1. Social workers, like all professionals, sometimes make mistakes. For example, they may disclose clients’ confidential information inappropriately, fail to respond to clients’ reasonable requests in a timely manner, or engage in improper dual relationships with clients. Ideally, social workers who err would follow a protocol that honors the profession’s commitment to responsible and honest communication and minimizes the practical risks faced by social workers who might be named in lawsuits, licensing board complaints, and ethics complaints. This article explores the nature and forms of social work error and possible constructive responses to it that (a) protect clients, (b) minimize risk to social workers, (c) prevent future error, and (d) adhere to prevailing ethical standards in the profession. COURSE SYLLABUS I. The Nature of Professional Error II. Professionals’ Response to Error III. Protecting Clients, Practitioners, and Agencies IV. A Protocol for Ethical Management and Prevention of Error V. Legal Implications

Article 2. Most helping professionals agree that nonsexual dual relationships (those arrangements that are incidental, social, or business and occur outside of the therapeutic setting) are unethical, yet are not as easily identified and often fall into a gray area. Analyzing a survey of therapists and clinicians in which they were asked to rate their ethical beliefs, typical behaviors, and opinions of harm, this article shows that little consensus exists about these arrangements. Benefiting professional vigilance is a high degree of awareness about ethics, risk management, law, regulation, and policy in this area. COURSE SYLLABUS I. Method II. Results III. Discussion

Journal/Publisher:

Families in Society /Alliance for Children and Families

Publication Date:

2008/Vol. 89, No. 1

Authors

(Article 1) Frederic G. Reamer, PhD; (Article 2) Robin Ringstad, LCSW, PhD

About the Authors:

(Article 1) Professor, Rhode Island College

(Article 2) Assistant Professor, California State University, Stanislaus

Recommended For:

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, psychologists, and other human services and behavioral health professionals who seek knowledge about social work ethics, risks, and behaviors. It is appropriate for participants with all levels of knowledge about the topic.

Course Objectives:

1. Explore the nature and forms of social work error and possible constructive responses to it that protect clients, minimize risk to social workers, prevent future error, and adhere to prevailing ethical standards in the profession.

2. Increase the awareness by helping professionals about ethics, risk management, law, regulation, and policy surrounding dual relationships.