State Credentialing Board Research: Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities

State Credentialing Board Research
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State Credentialing Board Research
Question 1
In the United States, individual State laws together with Federal laws govern professional counseling. To practice counseling the practitioner requires a license offered by separate agencies. The federal law asserts that the different levels of social work and their respective regulatory bodies are mandated with the task of overseeing the rules and regulation of the practice of social work. The main aim of the regulatory body is to safeguard the interests of the clients and practitioners as well as protecting both parties from malpractice in the industry.
In Ohio, the state board that offers licenses to applicants is the Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) (Ohio, 2003, p. 2). This agency is responsible for the checking of counselors, marriages, families and social workers in Ohio. The CSWMFT was established in 1984 and was designed to protect the citizens of Ohio by ensuring that the services rendered by professionals in the counseling and social work are regulated.
The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage, and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) is located at the west broad street in suite 1075 Columbus, Ohio. The official website for the board is (Ohio, 2003, p. 2). Further details on their contacts and physical address are explained on the website.
Question 2
The mission of the Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist Board (CSWMFT) is to effectively and efficiently govern the practice of counselors and social workers in Ohio State, thereby protecting and serving the public. The board implements this by ensuring all qualified professionals are licensed; fully comply with the set standards and code of ethics. Furthermore, the board designs the educational programs for the practice and reinforces the rules and regulations constituted (Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 1998, p. 3).
Question 3
Chapter 4757of the Ohio Revised code contains the full functions and authority of the Board whose sole purpose is to protect and serve the public. The board does this by ensuring improved quality of the services provided by social workers, counselors, family and marriage therapists. The ‘Marriage and Family Therapists’ section was included in the board functionalities in April 2014 (McMahon & Patton, 2002, p. 3). Licensing of this social group extended the board's name to the Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist Board. The professionals under the Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist Board of field can provide both general or specialized service and this determined mostly by their experience and competency in practice.
The board has issued over 30,000 licenses for professionals to practice as Counselors, Social Workers & Marriage and family therapists since its inception. The board is mandated with the obligation to ensure that the industry is conducted efficiently for the benefit of the public. The complaints that are submitted to the may include but not limited to grievances of incompetent practice, verbal or physical abuse, sexual harassment, conflict of interest between the clie...