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ACA 2014 Code of Ethics Latest Updated
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ACA 2014 Code of Ethics Latest Updated
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2014ACA
Code of Ethics
As approved by the ACA Governing Council
AMERICAN COUNSELING
ASSOCIATION
counseling.org
,Mission
The mission of the American Counseling Association
is to enhance the quality of life in society by promoting
the development of professional counselors, advancing
the counseling profession, and using the profession and
practice of counseling to promote respect for human
dignity and diversity.
© 2014 by the American Counseling Association.
All rights reserved. Note: This document may be reproduced in its entirety without permission for non-commercial
purposes only.
Contents
ACA Code of Ethics Preamble •3
ACA Code of Ethics Purpose •3
Section A
The Counseling Relationship •4
Section B
Confdentiality and Privacy •6
Section C
Professional Responsibility •8
Section D
Relationships With Other Professionals • 10
Section E
Evaluation, Assessment, and
Interpretation • 11
Section F
Supervision, Training, and Teaching • 12
Section G
Research and Publication • 15
Section H
Distance Counseling, Technology,
and Social Media • 17
Section I
Resolving Ethical Issues • 18
Glossary of Terms • 20
Index • 21
• 2 •
, ACA Code of Ethics Preamble
The American Counseling Association (ACA) is an educational, scientifc, and professional organization whose members
work in a variety of settings and serve in multiple capacities. Counseling is a professional relationship that empowers diverse
individuals, families, and groups to accomplish mental health, wellness, education, and career goals.
Professional values are an important way of living out an ethical commitment. The following are core professional values
of the counseling profession:
1. enhancing human development throughout the life span;
2. honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and
uniqueness of people within their social and cultural contexts;
3. promoting social justice;
4. safeguarding the integrity of the counselor–client relationship; and
5. practicing in a competent and ethical manner.
These professional values provide a conceptual basis for the ethical principles enumerated below. These principles are
the foundation for ethical behavior and decision making. The fundamental principles of professional ethical behavior are
• autonomy, or fostering the right to control the direction of one’s life;
• nonmalefcence, or avoiding actions that cause harm;
• benefcence, or working for the good of the individual and society by promoting mental health and well-being;
• justice, or treating individuals equitably and fostering fairness and equality;
• fdelity, or honoring commitments and keeping promises, including fulflling one’s responsibilities of trust in
professional relationships; and
• veracity, or dealing truthfully with individuals with whom counselors come into professional contact.
ACA Code of Ethics Purpose
The ACA Code of Ethics serves six main purposes:
1. The Code sets forth the ethical obligations of ACA members and provides guidance intended to inform the ethical
practice of professional counselors.
2. The Code identifes ethical considerations relevant to professional counselors and counselors-in-training.
3. The Code enables the association to clarify for current and prospective members, and for those served by members,
the nature of the ethical responsibilities held in common by its members.
4. The Code serves as an ethical guide designed to assist members in constructing a course of action that best serves
those utilizing counseling services and establishes expectations of conduct with a primary emphasis on the role of
the professional counselor.
5. The Code helps to support the mission of ACA.
6. The standards contained in this Code serve as the basis for processing inquiries and ethics complaints
concerning ACA members.
The ACA Code of Ethics contains nine main sections that ad- When counselors are faced with ethical dilemmas that
dress the following areas: are diffcult to resolve, they are expected to engage in a care-
fully considered ethical decision-making process, consulting
Section A: The Counseling Relationship available resources as needed. Counselors acknowledge
Section B: Confdentiality and Privacy that resolving ethical issues is a process; ethical reasoning
Section C: Professional Responsibility includes consideration of professional values, professional
Section D: Relationships With Other Professionals ethical principles, and ethical standards.
Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation Counselors’ actions should be consistent with the spirit
Section F: Supervision, Training, and Teaching as well as the letter of these ethical standards. No specific
Section G: Research and Publication ethical decision-making model is always most effective, so
Section H: Distance Counseling, Technology, and counselors are expected to use a credible model of deci-
Social Media sion making that can bear public scrutiny of its applica-
Section I: Resolving Ethical Issues tion. Through a chosen ethical decision-making process
and evaluation of the context of the situation, counselors
Each section of the ACA Code of Ethics begins with an work collaboratively with clients to make decisions that
introduction. The introduction to each section describes the promote clients’ growth and development. A breach of the
ethical behavior and responsibility to which counselors aspire. standards and principles provided herein does not neces-
The introductions help set the tone for each particular sec- sarily constitute legal liability or violation of the law; such
tion and provide a starting point that invites refection on the action is established in legal and judicial proceedings.
ethical standards contained in each part of the ACA Code of The glossary at the end of the Code provides a concise
Ethics. The standards outline professional responsibilities and description of some of the terms used in the ACA Code
provide direction for fulflling those ethical responsibilities. of Ethics.
• 3 •
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