Ethical and Legal Responsibilities in the Area of Boundaries of Competence

Ethical and Legal Responsibilities
Student’s Name
Institution
Course Number and Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
Ethical and Legal Responsibilities
Alyssa’s Case
Alyssa has a responsibility to her client, which should be considered while deciding the direction of the case. According to the American Counseling Association (ACA) (n.d.) code of ethics, counselors must recognize that their primary obligation is to promote their client's well-being. Alyssa's client needs help, and as evidenced by their statement, the client could be homicidal. Alyssa's primary responsibility is to ensure the client gets the necessary interventions, consistent with their circumstances, to facilitate successful outcomes. Alyssa should pursue this responsibility per the beneficence ethical principle, which according to ACA (n.d.), requires counselors to work for the good of their clients by promoting their well-being.
Another ethical standard that should be considered in the case is client confidentiality. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) (2017) code of ethics, client privacy and confidentiality are fundamental ethical standards for professionals in the field of psychology. In Alyssa's case, she needs to consider discussing the limits of confidentiality with her client, especially because the client has been mandated for counseling. The client has already shown homicidal ideations during the interview, something that Alyssa might be forced to disclose if her evaluation reveals that it is an imminent threat to the police officer.
To uphold the first standard of professional obligation, Alyssa must serve the client competently and proficiently. According to Pastorino and Doyle-Portillo (2022), therapists must provide appropriate and sufficient treatment, subject to their competency. Proper treatment involves establishing clear therapy goals in a therapeutic relationship. Alyssa has a degree in addiction psychology, which makes her competent to serve a client with addiction issues. However, if she realizes the client needs help outside her competency, she must seek supervision from a more competent therapist. To uphold the second ethical standard of confidentiality, Alyssa must discuss the limits of confidentiality with the client. For example, she must inform the client about situations that might warrant a breach of confidentiality, such as when there is foreseeable harm to self or others. According to Hogan (2019), if a psychologist learns that an individual might kill someone, the principle of avoiding harm takes precedence over client confidentiality. Alyssa should notify the client about this limitation at the onset of the therapeutic relationship. The client might choose to receive Alyssa’s services or not, but Alyssa must in...