American Association of Suicideology
Guidelines for a Code of Ethics for Suicide Prevention and Crisis Intervention
I. PURPOSE:
To establish guidelines for a code of ethics for individual and organizational members of the American Association of Suicidology involved with prevention or crisis intervention (hereinafter referred to as crisis workers).
II. OBJECTIVES
A. To protect the rights of persons provided services bv or participating 'in programs of, members of AAS.
B. To promote compliance with professional and community standards of conduct.
C. To provide guidelines for the resolution of ethical conflicts in suicide prevention and crisis intervention procedures.
III. PRINCIPLES
A. Integrity
The crisis worker shall place the highest value on integrity. Whether as a practitioner, teacher, trainer, or researcher, there should be no compromise with the best interests of the persons served being the overriding consideration at all times.
B. Competence
1. Responsibility should only be undertaken or assigned for those activities for which the person has been trained and has demonstrated an adequate level of competence. If the needs of the person being helped are beyond the competence of the crisis worker, referral to someone with the needed skills should be accomplished as expeditiously as possible, assuring that possible feeling of rejection or abandonment are appropriately dealt with.
2. If lack of competence is observed in other persons or agencies, the observation should be made known to one's supervisor or to the individual responsible for taking corrective action.
3. If physical or emotional problems interfere with the crisis worker's optimal functioning, appropriate steps should be taken to see that such problems do not compromise the quality of services offered. The interests of the person being helped are first dealt with, and measures to correct the crisis worker's problems instituted as well. Further crisis work should be deferred until such problems no longer interfere with the person's competence.
C. Moral Standards: The crisis worker should respect the social and moral attitudes of the community in which he/she works, assuring that the reputation of persons or agencies not be unnecessarily jeopardized.
D. Legal Standards: In the course of crisis work, illegal actions by the person in crisis should not be encouraged or facilitated. If the crisis worker recognizes a potential legal issue, of which the person is not aware, the crisis worker should inform the person of that issue. In no case should the crisis worker participate in an illegal act.
E. Representation
1. The crisis worker shall accurately represent his/her qualifications, affiliations and purposes
when appropriate, and those of the agency with which he/she is associated.
2. The crisis worker should not provide information that would imply the presence of qualifications or affiliations, professional or otherwise, which are not accurate, or would lead others to assume qualities or characteristics that are not correct. If misrepresented by others, or if others make incorrect assumptions, the crisis worker should rectify such misconceptions.
3. The crisis worker should not use his/her affiliation with an organization, or its divisions, for purposes, which are not consonant with the stated purpose of that organization
F. Public Statements
1. All public statements whether direct or indirect, should be accurate and free of sensationalism, bias, distortion or misrepresentation of any kind. - Special care in this regard is required in activities related to news articles aimed at stimulating public awareness and support of an agency, and for solicitation of funds to continue the agency's work.
2. When information is provided to the public about suicide prevention or crisis intervention techniques, it should be- made clear that such techniques are to be used only by persons adequately trained in their use, when that is the case.
G. Confidentiality
1. Maintaining the confidentiality of information about persons helped is a primary responsibility. Such information should not be communicated to others unless specific provisions for such release are met according to state statutes.
2. Confidential information may be revealed after careful consideration indicates the presence of clear and present danger to an individual or to society, and then only to those who must be informed in order to reduce that danger.
3. Information about persons being helped is discussed only with others concerned with the case.
4. Except for 2 and 3 above, only when the person being helped gives permission may information be disclosed to another individual the person should specify what information might be given, and to whom. In circumstances judged by the crisis worker to constitute an emergency involving a threat to the life or safety of the person being helped, these restrictions maybe suspended as necessary to provide the required assistance.
5. Written and oral reports should contain only information germane to the purpose of the report. Every effort should be made to protect the person's privacy.
6. In writing and teaching, care should be taken that any clinical material used should be presented in such a way that the identity of the individual is not revealed.
7. The identity of research subjects should not be revealed or rendered recognizable with out explicit permission.
8. The crisis worker should assure that appropriate provisions are made for the maintenance of confidentiality in the storage, retrieval, use, and ultimate disposition of records.
H. Welfare of Persons Receiving Crisis Services
1. In accord with III.B.1 above, if it becomes clear that the person the crisis worker is responding to would best be served by referral to another crisis worker, or another type of assistance, such referral should be accomplished without undue delay. Full consideration should be given to the possible adverse effects of referral, and the procedure carried out in such a manner that these potential adverse effects are minimized.
2. In the event of referral, the referring crisis worker should continue to render assistance as needed, until such time as the responsibility for helping the person is assumed fully, if that is appropriate, by the worker taking over the case.
I. Relationship with the Person Receiving Crisis Service
1. Crisis services should be provided only in the context of a professional type of program.
2. No illegal interaction should transpire in the course of providing crisis services.
3. The crisis worker should not provide services to his/her associates, friends or family members except in the most unusual circumstances, and then only with the concurrence of an experienced consultant.
4. Each individual agency should state, in its policies and procedures manual, precisely, under which circumstances a call may be taped or listened to by a third party without the caller's knowledge or consent. An opinion on this issue should be obtained from legal counsel that relevant federal or state laws would not be violated by these policies and procedures.
J. Offering of Services
1. Any proffering of suicide prevention and crisis services should be carried out within strict limits of community standards, propriety and good taste.
2. Notices designed for public use, such as telephone book, posters, or brochures may contain a statement of the name, degree, accreditation and sponsoring agency of the provider, the services offered, a description of those services, circumstances in which the services might appropriately be used, and how to obtain them. Reassurances, such as emphasizing twenty-four hour readiness to respond, and desire to be of help, may be included in material from agencies or organizations.
3. No evaluative statements or assurance of quality or efficacy should be expressed or implied in any form.
K. Professional Relations
1. The integrity, traditions and potential helping role of all professions and disciplines should be acknowledged and respected, both in relations between disciplines and in communications with persons in crisis. No suggestion of precedence among disciplines should be expressed or implied, though special needs may call for unique skills in individual cases.
2. Crisis workers should not knowingly enter into a competitive role with other providers in the community. If the person being helped has a previously established relationship with another caregiver, the crisis worker should attempt to integrate the efforts being made. In no case should there be an effort to prevent the other caregiver from being informed of the crisis worker's role. Mutual agreement of all concerned, as to the best way to assist the person in crisis, should be striven for.
L. Remuneration
1. No commission, rebate, or other consideration or inducement should be involved in a referral to or from a crisis worker for the provision of crisis services.
2. The crisis worker should not use his/her relationship with the person being helped to promote his/her own benefit or that of any agency or of any other enterprise.
3. A crisis Worker associated with an agency- or institution should not accept a fee or other form of remuneration for providing services to a person who is entitled to those services through the agency or institution.
4. A crisis worker in an agency or institution should not accept a gift from a person being helped, unless its nature and value falls within the limits established by the governing body of the agency or institution for such gifts.
M. Ownership of Materials
1. All materials prepared by a crisis worker, in carrying out his/her regular duties in an organization, shall be the property of that organization. Release or publication of such materials will be governed by the policies established by the organization.
2. Materials prepared by a crisis worker in an agency, other than those materials resulting from his/her regular duties, shall, if published, and the agency so desires, include a disclaimer of response ability on the part of the agency for the content of the published materials.
N. Promotional Activities
1. A crisis worker or agency associated with the promotion of services, books, or other products, should ensure that these are presented in a professional and factual manner.
2. Any claims made should be supported by scientifically acceptable evidence.
3. If a financial interest is held in any commercial product, care must be taken to assure that the clinical care of persons in crisis is not adversely affected by that interest.
O. Research
1. All research activity must be carried out with meticulous attention to the well being and dignity of all participants.
2. The design and methodology of clinical studies shall follow federal guidelines for research involving human subjects.
3. Research carried out in an agency or institution must be reviewed and approved by the governing board of that institution, which must determine that compliance with human rights regulations will be observed.
E-mail: info@shoafdesignstudio.com