Responding to Ethical and Legal Issues

Responding to Ethical and Legal Issues

Throughout the course of being a mental health counselor, there will be ethical or legal issues that will be challenging. As a licensed professional counselor (LPC), one of the expectations is to understand and abide by the American Counseling Association's (ACA)Code of Ethics.ACACode of Ethicsstates that when counselors face an ethical dilemma, they use and document, as appropriate, an ethical decision-making model that may include but is not limited to consultation (ACA, 2014, I.1.b.). For this assignment Forester-Miller and Davis'sA Practitioner's Guide to Ethical Decision-Making(2016) will be applied to the case study, then to review how the development and cultural factors are impacted and lastly address any personal beliefs upon ethical decision-making. Analysis of Ethical Decision-Making Model One of the original models wasA Practitioner's Guide to Ethical Decision-Makingby Forester-Miller and Davis, which was presented in 1995. Remley and Herlihy (2020) claim that this guide presented a practical, sequential, seven-step model that was based on moral principles. Reviewing these ethical principles, which serve as the foundation of guidelines, often helps to clarify the issues involved in a given situation; the five bedrock principles of autonomy, justice, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and fidelity are each vital in and of themselves to a healthy counseling relationship (Forester-Miller & Davis, 2016). After the five principles are the seven sequential steps to adhere to an ethical decision. Forester-Miller & Davis (2016) encourages counselors to consider the worldview of their clients and others who may be affected in each step of the decision-making model.The model is easy to understand and follow since this process has counselors document their progress and consult with the ACA'sCode of Ethics.The steps in place are for counselors to carefully take their time to consider all of their choices. Forester-

BRIEF VERSION OF THE TITLE, ALL CAPS3 Miller and Davis (2016) provide an explanation for the foundational aspects that guide the counselor through the action steps, provide clear direction, are practical in the application of real- life issues, and could be considered generalized enough to use in a number of complex ethical dilemmas (Remley & Herlihy, 2020). The ACACode of Ethics(ACA, 2014) does not endorse one specific model but does require that counselors use a "credible model for decision making that can bear public scrutiny of its application" (Letourneau, 2016). Forester-Miller and Davis's model is not the only model for decision-making for ethical and legal issues.There is a reason that many models that have come after its publication have similarities in their own ethical procedures for decision- making (Remley & Herlihy, 2020). Because of this model, there has been an inspiration for models intended for school counselors, for instance, the IMED (Intercultural Model of Ethical Decision Making) by Luke, Goodrich, & Gilbride. There are three factors that are considered of primary importance when choosing decision-making models to incorporate: collaboration, cultural sensitivity, and a systems approach (Letourneau, 2016)