Code of Ethics Analysis Paper Essay Example

follow. Fees The ACA and AACC are very similar when it comes to fees. Both organizations emphasize the importance of establishing fees that are fair and reasonable with respect to the services rendered. The ACA states that its counselors will assist counselors in finding comparable services of an acceptable cost if they cannot afford their services.

On the other hand the AACC encourage their counselors to participate in pro bono work. They also suggest that counselors set a sliding fee schedule and other reduced payment methods. The ACA does not address the issue of pro bono work or sliding fees but it appears that it may endorse the practice of bartering for services where appropriate. The AACC directs counselors to avoid any all financial practices that result or appear to result in greedy or self-serving outcomes (AACC, 2004). Confidentiality

According to the ACA, “in couples and family counseling, counselors clearly define who is considered the client and discuss expectations and limits of confidentiality” (ACA, 2005). The AACC does not guarantee or promise confidentiality in family counseling. It appears that the major difference is that under the AACC you do not define who the client is and develop an allegiance to that one person. The goal as a Christian counselor is to explain to the client the difficulty of keeping confidences and the problems and limitations that occur when using this form of therapy.

Conflict of Interest The last item to be explored is the conflict of interest. Both groups have specific rules concerning this situation. The ACA approves of intimate relationships with former clients as long as it occurs five years after the culmination of counseling. Hey go

on to direct the counselor to document whether the relationship could be harmful to the client in some way. They go on to advise the counselor if the relationship could cause harm to the client or its family that the relationship should be avoided.

The AACC forbids any kind of intimacy between a counselor and a former client. They state that the contact is unethical. However, they do allow for marriage between a counselor and former client. The client counselor relationship must have been terminated for at least two years before the counselor should consider marriage. Both groups advocate that the referral of the client initially to another agency should never be done because of a romantic interest and they also both advocate that the relationship should pose no harm to the client or its family.

Conclusion In conclusion it is clear that both boards have guidelines to address issues that counselors face on a daily basis. The codes are very similar in nature with a few differences. It appears that the AACC ethics encompass the guidelines of the ACA ethics but in more detail as it relates to biblical principles. The one true thing in respect to both groups are that the ethic codes are only guidelines. They are not hard fast rules but structured guidelines put in place to help counselors make decisions that are appropriate for the client.