an example of ethical
guidelines
Articles of
Ethical Guidelines
for Christian Society for the Healing
of Dissociative Disorders
(CSHDD)
1.
PERSONAL COMMITMENT AS A CHRISTIAN
1.1 I agree with the
basis of CSHDD as stated in the Statement of Purpose.
1.2 I commit my service,
whether as professional or layperson, to God as a special calling.
1.3 I pledge to
integrate all that I do in service with Christian values, principles and
guidelines.
1.4 I commit myself to
Christ as Lord as well as Savior. Thus, I will seek direction and wisdom from
God, while accepting responsibility for my own actions and statements. I will
seek this humbly, regularly, and frequently, especially when dealing with
people’s souls and the intricacies of dissociative disorders.
1.5 I view
my body as the temple of the Holy Spirit and will treat it lovingly and
respectfully. I will prayerfully seek balance in my priorities and activities.
1.6 I acknowledge my
need for the Body of Christ and its ministries and will seek accountability and
support from fellow believers and the organized church as I pursue this ministry
to souls.
2. LOVING
CONCERN FOR CLIENTS
2.1 I will accept
clients without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, income,
education, ethnic background, value system, etc., unless such a factor would
interfere appreciably with my ability to be of service.
2.2 I value human life,
the sanctity of personhood, personal freedom and responsibility, and the
privilege of informed free choice by adults in matters of belief and action.
2.3 I will avoid
exploiting or manipulating any client to satisfy my own needs.
2.4 I will abstain from
unnecessary or prurient invasion of privacy.
2.5 I will take
appropriate actions to help, even protect, those persons within my area of
responsibility who are being endangered and are relatively dependent on other
persons for their survival and well being.
2.6 I will scrupulously
avoid sexual contact or sexual exploitation, both covert and overt, with any
client.
2.7 Members who provide
professional services should make advance financial arrangements that protect
the best interests of, and are clearly understood by, their clients. A portion
of their services should be contributed towards work for which they receive
little or no financial return.
3.
CONFIDENTIALITY
3.1 I will demonstrate
utmost respect for the confidentiality of the client and other persons in a
professional or pastoral relationship.
3.2 I will carefully
protect the identity of clients and their situations. Thus, I will avoid
divulging information about clients, whether privately or publicly, unless I
have received freely given, informed consent of the adult client or legal holder
of confidentiality privilege for minor clients, in the form of expressed,
written permission and the release of such information would be appropriate to
the situation.
3.3 All records of
counseling, teaching and research will be handled in a way that protects the
clients and the nature of their situations from disclosure.
3.4 The limits of
confidentiality, such as those based on civil laws, regulations, and judicial
precedent, will be explained to the client. Examples of limits or exceptions to
confidentiality include such situations as:
(1) legal mandate,
e.g., if child abuse is suspected or apparent;
(2) when divulging
information would prevent a clear and immediate danger to a person or persons;
(3) legal
proceedings in which the member does not have privilege.
4.
COMPETENCY IN SERVICES PROVIDED
4.1 I pledge to be
well-trained and competent in providing services.
4.2 I will refrain from
implying that I have qualifications, experiences, and capabilities which are, in
fact, lacking.
4.3 I will comply with
applicable state and local laws and regulations regarding competency in the
psychological and pastoral professions.
4.4 I will avoid using
any legal exemptions from professional competency afforded in certain states to
churches and other nonprofit organizations as a means of providing services that
are beyond my training and expertise.
4.5 I will diligently
pursue additional education, experience, professional consultation, and
spiritual growth in order to improve my effectiveness in serving persons in
need.
5. MY
HUMAN LIMITATIONS
5.1 I will do my best to
be aware of my human limitations and biases. I admit that I do not have complete
objectivity or spiritual maturity. Thus, I also will endeavor to establish and
maintain a relationship of mutual accountability with another Christian
colleague or mentor.
5.2 I will avoid
fostering any misconception a client could have that I am omnipotent or that I
have all the answers.
5.3 I will refer clients
whom I am not capable of helping, whether by lack of available time or expertise
or because of subjective, personal reasons. The referral will be done
compassionately, clearly, and completely, insofar as feasible.
5.4 I will resist
efforts of any clients or colleagues to place demands for services on me that
exceed my qualifications and/or the time available to minister or that would
impose unduly on my relationships with my own family, other persons, or God.
5.5 When necessary, I
will seek out qualified individuals for consultation and help with a given
client but will accept all responsibility for use or nonuse of any advice given.
I choose to hold neither the CSHDD nor the one from whom I seek consultation as
liable for any consequences of my use or misuse of any information given.
5.6 As an aid to
avoiding excessive dependency, I will encourage my client’s constructive peer
relationships, encourage utilization of multiple provider resources, refer to
appropriate consultation and adjunct treatments, and encourage and provide for
the learning of requisite interpersonal discernment and social skills.
6.
ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES
6.1 I will advertise or
promote my services by Christian and professional standards, rather than only
commercial standards.
6.2 Personal
aggrandizement will be omitted from advertising and promotional activities.
6.3 Since CSHDD is not a
licensing or accrediting agency, I will avoid using membership in CSHDD as an
advertising promotional.
7.
RESEARCH
7.1 Any research I
conduct will be done openly and will not jeopardize the welfare of any persons
who are research subjects. I will protect the confidentiality of such subjects.
I will require their informed, written consent for participation in the
research.
8.
PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY
8.1 I will carefully
consider the value of professional liability (“malpractice”) insurance,
especially if a lawsuit, whether justified or not, would possibly drain
financial resources of the organization with which I am associated.
9.
MEMBERSHIP REVOCATION AND RESTORATION
9.1. Although CSHDD will
not be required to enforce these Ethical Guidelines through any investigative or
disciplinary measure, I understand that if my professional license or
certification has been revoked by any other professional organization or state
board, or if I violate these ethical guidelines, then I may be subject to loss
of membership with CSHDD. Such a decision will be made by a majority vote of the
CSHDD Ethics committee and approved by the CSHDD officers.
9.2. In the event of such
a loss of membership, a process of reconciliation and restoration will be
promptly instituted under the auspices of the CSHDD Board or its designee.
10.
GENERAL PRUDENTIAL RULE
10.1 Recognizing that no
ethical guidelines are complete, I make my day-to-day decisions based on the
criteria and principles stated in the Preamble. I will do my best to serve and
to live in a way that is congruent with the stated basic principles of these
guidelines and with my faith as a Christian.
11. USE OF
NON-PROFESSIONAL HELPERS
11.1 Non-professional
helpers are an appropriate treatment aid in this group of patients. However,
they should be appropriately supervised and counseled by qualified
professionals, especially with regard to setting and maintaining appropriate
boundaries and limits and the handling of crisis situations.
11.2 The client’s
cooperation and permission should be obtained when using outside sources, such
as non-professional helpers.
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