Ethical Decision Making
Ethical Decision Making
Ethical Dilemma
Ben is cutting himself regularly. The school counselor has spoken with his parents for several weeks and has explained the severity of this child's problem. Ben desperately needs help for a mental health professional. The parents refuse to take him for treatment and say they just want him to continue seeing the school counselor.
Hypothetical Background
Ben is nine years old. He is in the third grade at Children’s Nation Elementary School, a quality school with rigorous curriculum and high academic achievement. Ben is from a poor neighborhood. His parents are both working extra time to pay for his tuition. Ben is one of the top students at school. He started to cut himself two months ago. I intern at the school, supervised by Dr. Brown. I have been counseling Ben for a month, twice a week. There are two more school counselors at the school.
Step One: Define the problem emotionally and intellectually
Emotionally, I feel bad and painful about Ben hurting himself. I'm also angry and critical of Ben's parents refusing a better treatment for him and not caring enough for his problem. At the same time, I am concerned with Ben's situation and the severity of him mental problem.
Intellectually, the fact is that Ben's parents won't take him for professional mental health counseling, which Ben desperately needs, and want him to continue seeing me. I understand that time and money can be the possible reasons for their decision.
Step Two: Apply the ASCA and ACA Ethical Codes and the Law
According to the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors, the following standards could be helpful in Ben’s case.
A.5.b. Professional school counselors help educate about and prevent personal and social concerns for all students within the school counselor’s scope of education and competence and make necessary referrals when the counseling needs are beyond the individual school counselor’s education and training. Every attempt is
Ethical Dilemma
Ben is cutting himself regularly. The school counselor has spoken with his parents for several weeks and has explained the severity of this child's problem. Ben desperately needs help for a mental health professional. The parents refuse to take him for treatment and say they just want him to continue seeing the school counselor.
Hypothetical Background
Ben is nine years old. He is in the third grade at Children’s Nation Elementary School, a quality school with rigorous curriculum and high academic achievement. Ben is from a poor neighborhood. His parents are both working extra time to pay for his tuition. Ben is one of the top students at school. He started to cut himself two months ago. I intern at the school, supervised by Dr. Brown. I have been counseling Ben for a month, twice a week. There are two more school counselors at the school.
Step One: Define the problem emotionally and intellectually
Emotionally, I feel bad and painful about Ben hurting himself. I'm also angry and critical of Ben's parents refusing a better treatment for him and not caring enough for his problem. At the same time, I am concerned with Ben's situation and the severity of him mental problem.
Intellectually, the fact is that Ben's parents won't take him for professional mental health counseling, which Ben desperately needs, and want him to continue seeing me. I understand that time and money can be the possible reasons for their decision.
Step Two: Apply the ASCA and ACA Ethical Codes and the Law
According to the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors, the following standards could be helpful in Ben’s case.
A.5.b. Professional school counselors help educate about and prevent personal and social concerns for all students within the school counselor’s scope of education and competence and make necessary referrals when the counseling needs are beyond the individual school counselor’s education and training. Every attempt is