Overview Of The American Counseling Association (ACA) Code Of Ethics

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The American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics (2014) states that counselors must respect a client’s confidentiality and can only disclose information about a client if there is a signed consent, legal requirement, or ethical requirement. A counselor must explain confidentiality to the client in a manner that the client will understand. The counselor must also explain the limits to confidentiality such as “serious and foreseeable harm and legal requirements” (ACA, 2014, p. 7). If a client identifies the desire to hurt themselves or someone else during a counseling session, then the counselor can break confidentiality to report to authorities. The ACA Code of Ethics (2014) suggests that a counselor consult with other professionals

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