COUN5217u05a1 Collaborating with Human Services Professional, Lecture notes of Accounting

Download COUN5217u05a1 Collaborating with Human Services Professional and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! COUN5217 u05a1 Collaborating with Human Services Professionals Liberty University COUN5217 Ethical and Legal Issues in Professional Counseling u05a1 Collaborating With Human Services Professionals Professionals within the mental health field often have to work with other professionals within their field. This may be due to many factors, whether due to a lack of experience of being placed on a team of other professionals due out of requirements. The important common factor is that this is a crucial and important fact of working in this field. By understanding our need for this the professional can look to start forming a network of other professionals to work with in the future. This scenario demonstrates the benefits as well as the things that must be kept in mind when working with other disciplines. By collaboration the professional can not only expand their reach but provide the best experience for the client that they couldn’t provide on their own. Roles and Functions of Professionals The social workers role is to discover and assist the client with social resources as well as assisting them with finding assistance when needed. This typically includes financial assistance, or as we see in the example child care. They are also responsible for reporting any concerns for child endangerment as we see the social worker considering in the scenario. The child therapist’s role is to work primarily with the children through play therapy and other forms of therapy that have been proven to help children discover and reveal information that is relevant to their healing. The other role that they provide is to communicate with the children in a way that someone else may not be successful and this can contribute to another avenue of discovering child endangerment (Remley Jr. & Herlihy, 2016). The psychologist’s primary role is to complete testing of both the children, but in the scenario provided it is to administrate testing of the mother and to provide assessment. The Clinical Mental Health Counselor is in the role of conducting the counseling with the adult’s in the relationship but specifically in this scenario their role is to coordinate the rest of the team into a cohesive unit that works together for the whole of the family unit. Each of these roles has similarities but also has many important differences that help to work within their specialties (Remley Jr. & Herlihy, 2016). Legal and Ethical Issues for the Interdisciplinary Team The Social Worker in this scenario faces the legal issue of child endangerment which would require reporting to the appropriate authorities (NC 7B-101). This also applies to the child therapist as in their situation the eldest child is having to take care of her younger siblings, which puts the children in danger. (NC 7B-101). The Counselor at the clinic reports that the mother appeared to have been drinking, which means that she traveled while intoxicated, which is illegal in North Carolina (G.S. 20-138.1). Finally, the Psychologist could be experiencing child endangerment due to the mother having undiagnosed bipolar or other issues, but could also be dealing with a mother that needs to be reported and have the children moved to a safe environment. (NC 7B-101). As far as ethical issues go the primary concerns is whether or not to report or work with the mother. With the Social Worker we see that they are seeking guidance on whether to reach out to CPS. This is an ethical concern as it would likely separate the mother from the children. The child therapist is ethical in a situation that requires intervention because the eldest child is having to be an adult in an environment in which they shouldn’t be required to do so. The counselor ethically is faced with having to working with a client that they are unfamiliar with, and that has confused her scheduled time. The counselor is now informed about information they didn’t need to know. Finally, the psychologist is ethically at a point in which they are bound to help, but could be using their time in a more effective way instead of on a client that has observed at our facility intoxicated. There is also a concern for her children’s safety and CPS will be investigating the home environment. The children also have reported to role reversal and this is the primary reason for CPS being approached as well. Ms. Randolph has missed several attempts at being assessed by our psychologist and we believe that there may be a medical scenario that needs to be accessed and addressed that will assist her with being successful in life and with her family. If there is any other information please reach out to me as I would like to make this as seamless and easy a process as possible. Sincerely, Will Dorsett High Point Family Counseling 123 Eastchester Drive, High Point, NC 27265 336-555-7658 will.dorsett@highpointfamilycounseling.com Conclusion Collaboration between professionals is a vital part to successful working in the mental health field. While it may not always be required it is certainly a tool that shouldn’t be ignored. This may present itself through referrals, or it might present itself through a professional reaching out for advice about a rather perplexing case that they haven’t worked with before. When a professional is willing and able to work with other mental health professionals, they are able to take their knowledge and assist and add to the needs or lack of education of another professional that may not have worked with that exact situation before. Just as it is easier to push a broken-down car to the gas station with help, utilizing the assistance of other professionals falls under the ACA code of ethics in that it provides help in a way that helps instead of hurts the individuals that we work with. References 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.ncblpc.org/Assets/LawsAndCodes/ACA_Code_of_Ethics(2014).pdf Birrell, P. J., & Bruns, C. M. (2016). Ethics and RElationship: From Risk Management to Relational Engagement. Journal of Counseling and Development, 94 (4), 391-397. http://dx.doi.org/library.capella.edu/10.1002/jcad.12097 Cerkez, Y., Manyeruke, G., Oduwaye, O., & Shimave, S. (2018). Ethical issues in counseling: a trend analysis. Quality and Quanity, 52 (1), 223-233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11135- 017-0604-6 Remley Jr., T. P., & Herlihy, B. (2016). Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.