The Alcohol Rehabilitation Code of Ethics

Alcohol counselors deal with individuals in a time of crisis and personal distress. Clients confide their most personal secrets to them. As such, alcohol counselors are bound by a strict code of ethics, which they must follow in order to respect client confidentiality. Although each code of ethics is slightly different from state to state, the overall tone and purpose is the same--to maintain an industry standard of the highest integrity and professionalism possible.

Responsibilities

• According to the Iowa Board of Certification (IBC) and from the National Association for Alcohol and Drug Addiction Counselors (NAACAD), alcohol counselors must place a high priority on the welfare of clients. Alcohol counselors must be aware of their own personal prejudices and despite these, treat each client with the utmost respect and courtesy. In addition, alcohol counselors have an overall responsibility to represent the profession well, especially in relationship to supervisors, other colleagues, employees and students.

Conflict of Interest

• Because of the position of trust an alcohol counselor holds, he must never take advantage of this by engaging in any kind of personal relationship with the client, especially for his own benefit. He must specifically refrain from any type of sexual involvement with clients.

Confidentiality

• Alcohol counselors have a serious responsibility to maintain confidentiality standards, except in cases when they are aware of harm to an individual. Since concerns about the invasion of privacy remain a top priority, alcohol counselors must only report safety issues to appropriate authorities.

Professional Integrity

• Alcohol counselors must value professional and personal integrity. They must promptly address personal issues that would prevent them from carrying out their job duties to the best of their abilities. They must present accurate information and not delve into areas beyond the scope of the profession. Part of their professional integrity includes abiding by certification standards.

Finances & Advertising

• Alcohol counselors must maintain high financial standards, including proper disclosure of fees and factual financial information, and be above reproach or coercive threat when it comes to the handling and request of client's money. They must properly represent themselves and their credentials and answer any questions regarding professional qualifications truthfully.

Legal & Moral Issues

• Although alcohol counselors are not specifically officers of the court, they still have a high responsbility to uphold legal and moral standards. They may not engage in any deceptive or fraudulent acts. lcohol counselors must be aware that conviction of a felony or misdemeanor, except for minor traffic offenses, will be subject to a punitive sanction.