Ethics:
From Aristotle to Generation Z
Steve Franklin, MSW, LCSW
www.SteveFranklinMSW.com
Aristotle: “Ethics”
'Chief Good' is,
'that which all things aim at,...
The knowledge of it
must have great weight;
and like archers, with a mark in view,
we shall be more likely
to hit upon what is right.
values
determine what is
right and what is wrong, and
Doing what is right or wrong
is what we mean by
ethics …
to behave ethically is
to behave in a manner that is
consistent with what is generally considered
to be right or moral
Ethical behavior
is the bedrock of mutual trust
to behave ethically is
to behave in a manner that is
consistent with what is generally considered
to be right or moral
Ethical behavior
is the bedrock of mutual trust
(National Defense University
for U.S. Army )
Values
are the rules by which we
make decisions about
right and wrong, should and shouldn't, good
and bad.
They also tell us which are
more or less important,
which is useful when
we have to trade off
meeting one value over another.
Ethical Dilemmas
allfreeessays.com
A Summary Of
Forester-Miller, H., & Davis, T.E.
(1995).
A Practitioner’S Guide
To Ethical Decision Making.
Alexandria, Va: American Counseling Association
Ethical Dilemmas
(1) identify the problem;
(2) apply your Code of Ethics;
(3) determine the nature and dimensions of
the dilemma;
(4) generate potential courses of action;
(5) consider the potential consequences of all
options…then determine a course of action;
(6) evaluate the selected course of action;
(Three Tests)
(7) implement this action.
Ethical Dilemmas
(1) identify the problem
gather data;
be specific and objective:
ethical?
Legal?
Clinical?
Ethical Dilemmas
(2) apply your Code of Ethics
Ethical Dilemmas
(3) determine the nature and
dimensions of the dilemma;
conflicting values?
Legal, ethical or moral obligations?
What principles apply?
What is your bias
(what answer are you hoping for)?
Ethical Dilemmas
(4) generate potential courses of action;
brainstorm
consult
survey
Ethical Dilemmas
(5) consider the potential consequences
of all options and
then determine a course of action
Ethical Dilemmas
(6) evaluate the selected course of action;
Stadler (1986): Three tests
• Test of Justice:
would you treat others the same in this situation
• Test of Publicity:
would want your behavior reported in the press.
• Test of Universality:
would you recommend same course of action
to another counselor in the same situation
Ethical Dilemmas
(Return to step 1
if solutions aren’t satisfactory)
(7) implement this action.
Document!
Media of communication
and data storage
• Competency to practice
• Protection of client privacy
Vocal/person-to-person
• Human brain expanded to
accommodate gossip.
• Eavesdropping (non-electronic)
• Information can be shared.
• Information can misremembered,
misrepresented, lied about, forgotten
Stone Tablets
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Long-lasting
Hard to shred
Hard to redact
But at least it’s “set in stone”
Paper
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Mail: Where is it delivered?
Where is it picked up?
Shredding
Are files secure?
Can be copied.
Copies may fade over time
May be illegible
Fax
Invented around 1850
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Who else might see a fax you receive
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Who else might see a fax you send?
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Do you have the right number?
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No encryption involved with FAX;
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hard wired transmission;
some consider it more secure.
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Use partial SS#/ID when practical
•
Efax-type (fax server)
Phone
Land line
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Susceptible to being tapped
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Call clients from home?
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Voice mail
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Extension line
•
*67/callbacks
Cellular Phone
• Password protected?
• Would a family member ever pick up …
see text messages/caller ID?
• Can be intercepted
• Voice Mail
Text Messaging
• Evolving Etiquette, style
• Rules elucidated
• because they are broken!
• Don’t text while in a face-to-face
conversation
• SMS shouldn't be used for formal
communications, such as breaking up
• Don’t jump to conclusions or get
offended if you don’t get a reply.
• Be aware of your tone. (You will be
misconstrued.)
• Don't SMS while you're driving.
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Leave the slang to the kids.
Remember that SMS can be traced.
Be conscientious of others' schedules.
If it's immediate, make a voice call.
Remember that your phone does have an
off button.
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• Make sure you have the right address!
• DON’T WRITE IN ALL CAPITALS
Abbreviations
• A3 Anytime, anywhere, anyplace
AAF As a matter of fact
AAK Asleep at keyboard
AAMOI As a matter of interest
AAP Always a pleasure
AAR At any rate
AAS Alive and smiling
ACK Acknowledge
ADD Address
ADN Any day now
ADR Address
AEAP As early as possible
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AFAIK As far as I know
AFK Away from keyboard
AFPOE A fresh pair of eyes
AIGHT Alright
AISB As it should be
AKA Also known as
ALCON All concerned
AML All my love
AOTA All of the above
ASAP As soon as possible
A/S/L Age/sex/location
ASL Age/sex/location
AT At your terminal
ATM At the moment
AWOL Away without leaving
AYEC At your earliest convenience
AYOR At your own risk
AYSOS Are you stupid or something
AYTMTB And you're telling me this because
B/F Boyfriend
B4 Before
B4N Bye for now
BAK Back at keyboard
BAU Business as usual
BB Be back
BBIAF Be back in a few
BBIAM Be back in a minute
BBIAS Be back in a sec
BBL Be back later
BBQ Be back quickly
BBS Be back soon
BBT Be back tomorrow
BC Because
BCNU Be seein' you
BCOS Because
BF Best friend
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BDN Big damn number
BFN Bye for now
BG Big grin
BGWM Be gentle with me
BFG Big f***ing grin
BIOYN Blow it out your nose
BLNT Better luck next time
BM&Y Between me and you
BOL Best of luck
BPLM Big person little mind
BRB Be right back
BRT Be right there
BTA But then again
BTDT Been there, done that
BTW By the way
CMIIW Correct me if I'm wrong
CMON Come on
COB Close of business
COS Because
C/P Cross post
CR8 Create
CRB Come right back
CRBT Crying really big tears
CU See you
CUA See you around
CUL See you later
CUL8R See you later
CWYL Chat with you later
CYA See ya
CYO See you online
D/L Download
DL Download
DEGT Don't even go there
DIKU Do I know you?
DQMOT Don't quote me on this
DTS Don't think so
DV8 Deviate
EBKAC Error between keyboard and chair
EF4T Effort
EG Evil grin
EMA E-mail address
EMFBI Excuse me for butting in
EMSG E-mail message
ENUF Enough
EOD End of day
EOM End of message
EVA Ever
EZY Easy
F2F Face to face
F2T Free to talk
FBM Fine by me
FC Fingers crossed
FICCL Frankly I couldn't care a less
FISH First in, still here
FOMCL Falling off my chair laughing
FITB Fill in the blank
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FRT For real though
FWIW For what it's worth
FYEO For your eyes only
FYI For your information
G Grin
G/F Girlfriend
G2CU Good to see you
G2G Got to go
G2R Got to run
G9 Genius
GA Go ahead
GAL Get a life
GB Goodbye
GBU God bless you
GDR Grinning, ducking, and running
GD/R Grinning, ducking, and running
GFI Go for it
GG Gotta Go or Good Game
GIAR Give it a rest
GIGO Garbage in, garbage out
GL Good luck
GL/HF Good luck, have fun
GLNG Good luck next game
GMTA Great minds think alike
GOI Get over it
GOL Giggling out loud
GR8 Great
GR&D Grinning, running and ducking
GT Good try
GTG Got to go
GTRM Going to read mail
H&K Hugs & kisses
H2CUS Hope to see you soon
H8 Hate
HAGN Have a good night
HAGO Have a good one
HAND Have a nice day
HF Have fun
HHIS Head hanging in shame
HOAS Hold on a second
HRU How are you?
HTH Hope this helps
HV Have
IAC In any case
IANAL I am not a lawyer
IB I'm back
IC I see
ICBW It could be worse
IDK I don't know
IDTS I don't think so
IDUNNO I don't know
IG2R I got to run
IIRC If I remember correctly
ILBL8 I'll be late
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ILU I love you
ILY I love you
IM Instant message
IMHO In my humble opinion
IMNSHO In my not so humble opinion
IMO In my opinion
IMS I am sorry
INAL I'm not a lawyer
IOW In other words
IRL In real life
IRMC I rest my case
IUSS If you say so
IYKWIM If you know what I mean
IYO In your opinion
IYSS If you say so
J00R Your
JAC Just a sec
JIC Just in case
JJA Just joking around
JK Just kidding
JMO Just my opinion
JP Just playing
K8T Katie
k/b Keyboard
KB Keyboard
KISS Keep it simple, stupid
KIT Keep in touch
KOC Kiss on cheek
KOTC Kiss on the cheek
KOTL Kiss on the lips
KNIM Know what I mean?
l33t Leet, meaning "elite"
L8R Later
LD Later, dude / Long distance
LERK Leaving easy reach of keyboard
LMAO Laughing my a** off
LOL Laughing out loud
LTM Laugh to myself
LTNS Long time no see
LYLAS Love you like a sis
M8 Mate
MFI Mad for it
MorF Male or female?
MoS Mother over shoulder
MSG Message
MTF More to follow
MTFBWU May the force be with you
MUSM Miss you so much
MYOB Mind your own business
n00b Newbie
N1 Nice one
NBD No big deal
NE Any
NE1 Anyone
NFM None for me / Not for me
NIMBY Not in my back yard
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NLT No later than
NM Nothing much / Never mind
NMH Not much here
NO1 No one
NOYB None of your business
NP No problem
NRN No response/reply necessary
NVM Never mind
NW No way
NW) No way out
OIC Oh, I see
OMG Oh my God
OMW On my way
OO Over and out
OOH Out of here
OOTD One of these days
OP On phone
OTB Off to bed
OTL Out to lunch
OTOH On the other hand
OTT Over the top
OTTOMH Off the top of my head
OTW Off to work
OVA Over
PCM Please call me
PDQ Pretty darn quick
PLMK Please let me know
PLS Please
PLZ Please
PM Private Message
PMFI Pardon me for interrupting
PMFJI Pardon me for jumping in
POAHF Put on a happy face
POS Parent over shoulder
PPL People
PROLLY Probably
PRT Party
PRW People/parents are watching
PTL Praise the Lord
PTMM Please tell me more
PXT Please explain that
PU That stinks!
Q Queue
QIK Quick
QT Cutie
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RL Real life
RP Role play
RME Rolling my eyes
ROFL Rolling on floor laughing
ROTFL Rolling on the floor laughing
ROTFLUTS Rolling on the floor laughing unable to speak
RSN Real soon now
RTFM Read the f***ing manual
RUOK Are you okay?
SAL Such a laugh
SC Stay cool
SETE Smiling Ear-to-Ear
SICNR Sorry, I could not resist
SIG2R Sorry, I got to run
SIS Snickering in silence
SIT Stay in touch
SLAP Sounds like a plan
SMHID Scratching my head in disbelief
SNAFU Situation normal all fouled up
SO Significant other
SOL Sooner or later
SOMY Sick of me yet?
SOTMG Short of time, must go
SPK Speak
SPST Same place, same time
SRY Sorry
SS So sorry
SSDD Same stuff, different day
SSINF So stupid it's not funny
STR8 Straight
STW Search the Web
SUITM See you in the morning
SUL See you later
SUP What's up?
SYL See you later
T+ Think positive
TA Thanks a lot
TAFN That's all for now
TAM Tomorrow a.m.
TBC To be continued
TBD To be determined
TBH To be honest
TC Take care
TGIF Thank God it's Friday
THX Thanks
•
THNX Thanks
THNQ Thank-you
TIA Thanks in advance
TIAD Tomorrow is another day
TLK2UL8R Talk to you later
TMB Text me back
TMI Too much information
TMOT Trust me on this
TMWFI Take my word for it
TNSTAAFL There's no such thing as a free lunch
TPM Tomorrow p.m.
TPTB The powers that be
TSTB The sooner, the better
TTFN Ta ta for now
TTTT These things take time
TTYL Talk to you later
TTYS Talk to you soon
TU Thank you
TY Thank you
TYT Take your time
TYVM Thank you very much
UCMU You crack me up
UGTBK You've got to be kidding
UKTR You know that's right
UL Upload
UR Your / You're
UV Unpleasant visual
UW You're welcome
VEG Very evil grin
VFM Value for money
VGC Very good condition
VIP Very important person
VM Voice mail
VSF Very sad face
WAM Wait a minute
WAN2TLK Want to talk
WAYF Where are you from?
W/B Write back
WB Welcome back
WC Who cares
WCA Who cares anyway
WIBNI Wouldn't it be nice if
WDALYIC Who died and left you in charge
WDYK What do you know
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WIIFM What's in it for me?
WISP Winning is so pleasurable
WITW What in the world
WIU Wrap it up
WK Week
WKD Weekend
WRT With regard to
WOMBAT Waste of money, brains and time
WRK Work
WRUD What are you doing?
WTB Wanted to buy
WTF What the f**k
WTG Way to go
WTH What the heck? or What the hell?
WU? What's up?
WUCIWUG What you see is what you get
WUF? Where you from?
WWJD What would Jesus do?
WWYC Write when you can
WYLEI When you least expect it
WYSIWYG What you see is what you get
X Kiss
XLNT Excellent
YA Your
YBS You'll be sorry
YCMU You crack me up
YGBKM You've got to be kidding me
YKWYCD You know what you can do
YMMV Your mileage may vary
YR Your
YR Yeah right
YRYOCC You're running your own cookoo clock
YSYD Yeah sure you do
YW You're welcome
ZZZZ Sleeping (or bored)
@TEOTD At the end of the day
143 I love you
2Day Today
2G2BT Too good to be true
2MORO Tomorrow
2NITE Tonight
404 I don't know
4EAE Forever and ever
Computer
• Password required to boot up?
• Password-protected files
• Password Protected/encrypted
Bit Locker (Windows 7/Vista
Enterprise and Ultimate)
Virtual disk encryption: free otfe
• Password complexity/security
• Backup
• Hard to erase hard drive (drill bit)
Firewall
Windows pretty good, but hackers target
VPN (Virtual Private Network): home/office
computer remote access with encrypted
connection (LT2P is highest level)
USB stick can carry virus
Wifi
Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
Password protection?
• Without encryption, data can be
monitored and recorded
• WPA2(WifiProtectedAccess 2);
• WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy)
easier to crack
• Wireless Printer
Email
• Mom:
“You don’t know where that’s been!”
• Email:
“You don’t know where that’s going.”
• Who else has your email password?
• (Office staff? Family?)
• Protect it from hijacking
•
Password complexity
•
Alert to viruses
•
Phishing
E-mail Policies and Procedures
• Standard Turnaround Time for Response
• Acceptable Message Content/Purpose
• When Not To Use E-mail
• Emergencies or Crises
• Confidentiality and Privacy
Identifying code word/phrase
Encryption
• Informed Consent to use email
• Part of record?
• Is it psychotherapy?
Advantages
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Expanded access/ geographical availability
email avoids scheduling issues
no pressure to think quickly
precise recordkeeping
computer doesn’t interrupt or react in a
triggering manner;
• travel time & expense,
• agopraphobia/social phobics/other trust
issues; anxiety/stigma; comfort of home;
may feel safer
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Disadvantages
Miss subtle cues of sound/body language
Miss emotional reassurance and mirroring
Unexpected technical difficulties
Competence in new medium (rhythm)
Boundaries: are emails a session?
Does client have legal recourse?
Informed consent?
What if mandated to clients
Cultural competency if anonymous?
Crises
Instant Messaging?
Hybrid of email and text
Blogs
Personal
Professional
Internet
• Password complexity
• Unknown sites may try your password
elsewhere
• Phishing:
realistic/official/urgent looking
•
Don’t click on link to sensitive sites,
eg. Bank, email, etc.
• Avoid opening files of unknown origin
even if you know the “from”
• Antivirus software
Facebook
• Hard for some students/recent
graduates to imagine being without it.
• Grads becoming cognizant of image
they project
• What does it mean to “friend”
someone? Invitation to your social
circle.
Facebook
• Privacy Settings
“Friends Only”
“Friends of Friends” (who knows who?)
• Groups/Fans of../specialty pages
may reveal your personal information
• Professional-only page
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How do you respond to Wall posts
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Do you offer advice? Consolation?
Encouragement?
• Will “members” identify other members
from wall posts?
Twitter
• Don’t mix professional and personal;
could have separate accounts
(but keep them straight!)
• Tweets are publicly visible by default;
however, senders can restrict
to just their followers
• What would you use it for?
Yahoo Listserv
• “Members Only”
• Best Practices sharing
• Brainstorming
• Resource referrals
• Avoid unnecessary client information.
• Is your email secure?
e-counseling
• Medicare… Fraud, Waste and Abuse
Compliance definition includes
• “ Providing services over the
telephone or Internet and billing
using face-to-face codes”
• BUT individual /group psychotherapy
codes are specified for telehealth
e-counseling
• Medicare: Remote Patient Face-To-Face,
Interactive Services
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must be provided to an eligible Medicare beneficiary
in an eligible facility (originating site)
located outside of a metropolitan area.
“The use of a telecommunications system may substitute
for a face-to-face, "hands on" encounter for
consultation, office visits, individual psychotherapy …
• Missouri Telehealth … institutional based
videoconferencing bills 7 insurance companies
e-counseling
• Skype/video
• www.ismho.org
(International Society for Mental Health Online)
• http://acto-uk.org/
(Association for Counselling and Therapy Online)
e-counseling
California claims jurisdiction over any activity in CA
S. Carolina State Board of Examiners in Psychology
“According to statute, jurisdiction is determined by
the residence of the provider.
… can regulate the activities of only those providers
who reside in South Carolina.
... Should you “go out of state” for psychological
treatment, you do so at your own risk.
e-counseling
• Some states: have created limited or
special licenses to practice telemedicine
which offer out-of-state providers a
restricted license for infrequent or
irregular contacts.
• Many, but not all, licensing laws allow
temporary practice by persons not licensed
in that jurisdiction
e-counseling
• Rules for temporary practice vary
• Number of days varies from 0 to unlimited
with 30 days most common
• Notification/registration with board varies
from advanced authorization for specific
service to no notice required
• Scope of practice allowed under
temporary authority varies from
consultative or forensic work to full range
of psychological services
e-counseling
• Option A. Simply ignore the laws since they
are out of date.
• Option B. Skirt laws by flying "under the
radar"
• Option C. Challenge the laws by flaunting
unlicensed practice
• Option D. Support Efforts to Update &
Improve Telepsychology Provisions in
Licensing Law
"I don't know one person who has been pursued
by a licensing board for practicing online...
but you don't want to be the poster case."
e-counseling …or ?
• What if you call it something else, like
“Coaching”
• "You can NOT do the things described as
being within the purview of a profession…unless you are licensed to practice that
profession.
• “If someone says they are a “life coach”
but is providing psychological services,
they are practicing psychology…"whether
they call themselves a psychologist or not."
Stephen T. DeMers, Ed.D.
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Online or telephone therapy may be…
Adjunctive; e.g. a regular face to face client
while one of you is out of town.
Continuity: continue with a client who has
moved; or temporarily housebound
Based in scarcity: provide services to rural
areas with few therapists; or where home
visits are unavailable.
Marketing strategy: significant or predominant
part of your caseload as a means of reaching
new clients
Clinical consideration: reach clients who might
be overwhelmed in person, or concerned with
confidentiality.
Intra- or inter-state
American Counseling Association
Records of Electronic Communications
(Approved by the ACA Governing Council, October 1999;
subsequently incorporated into Code of Ethics)
http://mooramoora.org.au/bobrich/psych/ethical.html
• Professional counselors maintain
appropriate procedures
• for ensuring the safety and confidentiality
of client information
• acquired through electronic
communications,
• including but not limited to …
American Counseling Association
• encryption software;
• proprietary on-site file servers with fire
walls;
• saving on-line or e-mail communications to
the hard drive or file server computer
systems;
• creating regular tape or diskette back-up
copies;
• creating hard-copies of all electronic
communications; and the like
American Counseling Association
• Clients are informed about the length of
time for,
• and method of, preserving session
transcripts.
• Professional counselors warn clients of
the possibility or frequency of technology
failures and
time delays in transmitting and receiving
information.
NASW Code of Ethics
SW who provide services via electronic media (such as
computer, telephone, radio, and television) should inform
recipients of the limitations and risks associated with
such services.
SW should protect the confidentiality of clients’ written
and electronic records and other sensitive information.
Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure
that clients’ records are stored in a secure location and
that clients’ records are not available to others who are
not authorized to have access.
SW should take precautions to ensure and maintain the
confidentiality of information transmitted to other
parties through the use of computers, electronic mail,
facsimile machines, telephones and telephone answering
machines, and other electronic or computer technology.
Disclosure of identifying information should be avoided
whenever possible.
American Psychological Association
American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
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Electronic media
referenced in a few areas by
adding to a list of various ways
services may be delivered and
to which admonishments apply.
American Counseling Association-2005
A.12. Technology Applications
A.12.a. Benefits and Limitations Counselors inform clients of the benefits
and limitations of using information technology applications in the
counseling process and in business/billing procedures. Such technologies
include but are not limited to computer hardware and software,
telephones, the World Wide Web, the Internet, online assessment
instruments and other communication devices.
A.12.b. Technology-Assisted Services When providing technology-assisted
distance counseling services, counselors determine that clients are
intellectually, emotionally, and physically capable of using the application
and that the application is appropriate for the needs of clients.
A.12.c. Inappropriate Services When technology-assisted distance
counseling services are deemed inappropriate by the counselor or client,
counselors consider delivering services face to face.
A.12.d. Access
Counselors provide reasonable access to computer applications
When providing technology-assisted distance counseling services.
A.12.e. Laws and Statutes Counselors ensure that the use of
technology does not violate the laws of any local, state, national,
or international entity and observe all relevant statutes.
A.12.f. Assistance Counselors seek business, legal, and technical
assistance when using technology applications, particularly
when the use of such applications crosses state or national
boundaries.
A.12.g. Technology and Informed Consent As part of the process of establishing
informed consent, counselors do the following:
1. Address issues related to the
difficulty of maintaining the confidentiality of electronically transmitted
communications.
2. Inform clients of all colleagues, supervisors, and employees, such as
Informational Technology (IT) administrators, who might have authorized or
unauthorized access to electronic transmissions.
3. Urge clients to be aware of all authorized or unauthorized users including family
members and fellow employees who have access to any technology clients may use
in the counseling process.
4. Inform clients of pertinent legal rights and limitations governing the practice of a profession
over state lines or international boundaries.
5. Use encrypted Web sites and e-mail communications to help ensure
confidentiality when possible.
6. When the use of encryption is not possible, counselors notify clients of this fact and limit
electronic transmissions to general communications that are not client specific.
7. Inform clients if and for how long archival storage of transaction records are
maintained.
8. Discuss the possibility of technology failure and alternate methods of service delivery.
9. Inform clients of emergency procedures, such as calling 911 or a local crisis
hotline, when the counselor is not available.
10. Discuss time zone differences, local customs, and cultural or language
differences that might impact service delivery.
11. Inform clients when technology assisted distance counseling services are not
covered by insurance. (See A.2.)
A.12.h. Sites on the World Wide Web
Counselors maintaining sites on the World Wide Web (the Internet) do
the following:
1. Regularly check that electronic links are working and professionally
appropriate.
2. Establish ways clients can contact the counselor in case of technology
failure.
3. Provide electronic links to relevant state licensure and professional
certification boards to protect consumer rights and facilitate addressing
ethical concerns.
4. Establish a method for verifying client identity.
5. Obtain the written consent of the legal guardian or other authorized
legal representative prior to rendering services in the event the client is
a minor child, an adult who is legally incompetent, or an adult incapable
of giving informed consent.
6. Strive to provide a site that is accessible to persons with disabilities.
7. Strive to provide translation capabilities for clients who have a different
primary language while also addressing the imperfect nature of such
translations.
8. Assist clients in determining the validity and reliability of information
found on the World Wide Web and other technology applications.
Special thanks to
Jeremy Peterson
Micro Center
4/11/12
Appendix
SAMPLE: Standards for Communication
If you have a life threatening emergency, and your are unable to
reach me, I suggest you call Life Crisis Services Hot Line (6474357), Behavioral Health Response(800-811-4760), or “911”.
Paper: Paper records created in intake, therapy sessions, or
related correspondence will be maintained in a client file. The
client file will only be accessible to me and you, unless explicit
permission is granted by you, or there is a requirement under
law to disclose information (consistent with limits of
confidentiality reviewed at intake, and my Notice of Privacy
Practices.) On occasion, I may contract with staff to assist with
billing and other administrative matters, and they would also
have access to files.
Appendix
SAMPLE: Standards for Communication
Telephone:
Messages left on my voice mail are secure,
accessible only by me with a password. You can normally
expect a response within 24 hours. If you are requiring a more
urgent response, follow instructions on the voice mail message
to flag it as an urgent message, and I will respond
appropriately. If there are occasions when I may be out of the
office and checking my voice mail less frequently, I will leave
special notice and instructions in the voice mail message.
If you give me a phone number, as a general contact number, or
a call back number in a voice mail message, I will assume it is
acceptable to leave a message at that number with basic
information, such as an answer to a question or scheduling
information, unless you advise me otherwise.
Appendix
SAMPLE: Standards for Communication
Fax: Faxes are received by me in an electronic form and access is
password protected, only viewed by me. I can typically be expected to
access a fax message within 24 hours. Response will be determined by
the priority I determine. If you require a particularly prompt response,
talk with me directly to make arrangements.
Email Email is received by me and access is password protected, only
viewed by me. I can typically be expected to access an email message
within 24 hours. Response will be determined by the priority I
determine. You should normally expect I will respond at the next
session. If you require a particularly prompt response, talk with me
directly to make arrangements. I will assume that your email
communication is safe and secure if I choose to respond by email,
unless you advise me otherwise. Email can be a convenient way of
passing along information you want to remember to discuss in a
session, or even as a way of journaling for emotional expression. It is
not a usually a good choice for addressing a crisis.
Appendix
SAMPLE: Standards for Communication
Text Messaging (SMS): Text Messages appear on my phone as soon as
they are received. However, I may not read the message until a later
time. If a response is requested, I will typically respond within 24
hours. If a response is not explicitly requested, I will choose whether
to respond. Text messages may be convenient to communicate simple
information such as scheduling, but is not usually a good medium for
discussing emotional or cognitive issues.
Social Media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, etc): As a matter
of policy, I do not join a client’s Social Media Network, or include a
client in Social Media Networks I may participate in. This helps
maintain the privacy and personal boundaries of our therapeutic
relationship.
In-person: There may be occasions when we unexpectedly “run into
each other” outside of the office, such as at a store, or event, etc. I
will typically ignore or not acknowledge knowing a client to protect
your privacy. This may seem awkward, but it also avoids the
awkwardness of deciding how to explain to someone how we know
each other.