ETHICS FOR THE PREVENTION PROFESSIONAL

LaShonda Williamson-Jennings, MEd, CPS

Wanda West, CPS

Center for Application of Prevention Technologies Southwest Resource Team

WebinarMay 18, 2012

Instructions

• Listen carefully as the facilitator reads instructions.

Instructions (cont’d.)

• Review webinar handouts

– Toward a Code of Ethics for Primary Prevention

– Prevention Think Tank Code of Ethical Conduct

– Adam’s Case Study

– An Ethical Decision Making Model

Instructions (cont’d.)

• Please return to the session at 1:00 PM MDT/2:00 PM CDT

• We will discuss the webinar handouts during the interactive webinar section.

Training Objectives

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

•Define ethics, morals, values, principles

•Explain the prevention code of ethics

•Apply an ethical decision-making model to situations in prevention work

Activity

• Define “ethics”

• Share your definition of ethics in the chat box on the left side of the screen.

Basic Definitions

Ethics: A system of moral standards or values

Principle: A fundamental truth, law, doctrine or motivating force upon which others are based; a rule of conduct, e.g., “Above all do no harm.”

More Basic Definitions

Morals: Principles with respect to right or wrong in conduct

Values: Core beliefs that guide and motivate attitudes and actions

Question

• What are some things that we as prevention practitioners value?

• Please type your response in the chat box on the left side of the screen.

Poll Question

Have you ever participated in an ethics training?

A Code of Ethics Is…

A blueprint of the norms of conduct

Prevention Code of Ethics: Six Standards

• Competence

• Non-Discrimination

• Ethical Obligation for Community and Society

• Integrity

• Nature of Services

• Confidentiality

Code of Ethics: Standards

Competence

• Maintain current knowledge and skills in prevention

• Participate in ongoing education

• Be clear about the nature of deliverable services

• Recognize and clarify boundaries/limitations

Code of Ethics: Standards

Competence

• Provide accurate representation of qualifications

• Associate with no misleading services/ products

• Make no misrepresentation of products or materials

• Define loyalties

• Provide publication credit

Code of Ethics: Standards

Non- Discrimination

• Shall not participate in discrimination of any kind

• Shall broaden one’s understanding and acceptance of cultural and individual differences

• Will render services sensitive to those differences

Code of Ethics: Standards

Ethical Obligation for Community and Society

Code of Ethics: Standards

Integrity

• Should not subordinate service and the public trust to personal gain/advantage

• Should not make false statements to certifying authority

• Shall alert a colleague to potentially unethical behavior

Code of Ethics: Standards

Integrity

• Must report violations of ethical conduct by others to disciplinary body(ies)

• Shall not engage in any action that violates the consumers’ civil/legal rights

Code of Ethics: Standards

Nature of Services

• Shall practice respectful and non-exploitive practices

• Should protect consumers from harm

• Shall maintain an objective, non-possessive, non-exploitive relationship with clients/participants

Code of Ethics: Standards

Nature of Services

• Shall comply with all laws and regulations that apply to professional conduct

• Must report child or other vulnerable abuse to the appropriate authorities

Code of Ethics: Standards

Confidentiality

Security of Client Records

If you or your agency stores personal information on your program participants,

• Keep it in a locked cabinet

• Promulgate written procedures regulating access to and use of records

Security of Client Records

If you or your agency stores personal information on your program participants,

• Purge identifying information from records or destroy records if program discontinues or is taken over, unless written permission of patient to transfer record is received

• Communicate procedures regarding confidentiality to client in writing

Release of Confidential Information

To qualified personnel to conduct

• scientific research

• management audits

• program evaluation

…but not identifying, directly or indirectly, any client in any report

Poll Questions

Please refer to Adam’s Case study to answer the following poll questions.

Ethical Decision-Making

Decision-Making

Whenever we experience values that are competing or conflicting we are involved in the work of ETHICS.

Values-Based Decision-Making in the Workplace

• For use in day-to-day operations, when a team/individual is met with an issue or situation where a number of important values are at stake, and where…

Values-Based Decision-Making in the Workplace

• There seems to be no single “best” response or…

• There is a recognized “difference of opinion” or…

• People don’t feel good about the circumstances or the possible resolution.

Values-Based Decision-Making Process

1ST PHASE: FRAMING

• Define the issue

• Clarify the perspective

• Identify the values

Values-Based Decision-Making Process (cont’d.)

2ND PHASE: RESOLVING & EVALUATING

• Consider alternatives

• Make a decision

• Implement the decision

3RD PHASE: EVALUATING THE DECISION

1ST Phase: REFRAMING

A. Define the Issue

Identify key facts, stakeholders and other important elements.

• Establish the facts of the issue, e.g., who, what, where, when, why and how.

• Describe the relevant factors, e.g., social, economic/financial, political, legal and market.

1ST Phase: REFRAMING

B. Clarify the Perspectives

Share your own perspective and appreciate the perspective of others.

• How do you understand the issue?

• Engage others’ perspectives through active listening.

1ST Phase: REFRAMING

C. Identify the Values

Name the important values at stake.

• Identify personal, professional, or organizational values important to you in this issue.

• Which values are significant to highlight in this particular situation?

2ND Phase: RESOLVING

A. Consider Alternatives

Imagine possible alternatives.

• What is important to consider among the options?

• What are the pros and cons of each option, including doing nothing?

2ND Phase: RESOLVING

B. Make a Decision

Choose among the possible alternatives.

• Which option best advances the mission, values and direction of your profession or organization?

• Which option produces the greatest benefit and the least harm?

• What are the criteria you will use to evaluate the decision?

2ND Phase: RESOLVING

C.Implement the Decision

Identify a process for carrying out the decision.

• Who will implement the decision?

• How and when will the decision be communicated to all stakeholders?

3RD Phase: EVALUATING

Evaluate the decision

Does the solution best address the defined problem?

• Determine a future time to review the process, decisions and outcomes.

Ref: Nancy Bancroft, PhD

An Ethical Decision-Making Model

1. Clarify the issues and relate to a section in the prevention code of ethics.

2. Assemble your facts.

3. Develop all possible options.

4. Assess the options from an ethical perspective.

Adapted from the Bay Group 1990

An Ethical Decision-Making Model

5. Make a decision.

6. Develop a plan for implementing the decision.

7. Implement the plan.

8. Evaluate the plan.

Adapted from the Bay Group 1990

You Decide Using the Model

Gary is by everyone's agreement one of the best workers at your agency. In some ways he is too good. Gary works an excessive number of hours every week. He is clearly married to his job.

You are concerned about his well-being and his work/personal boundaries.

Question

• What is Gary’s ethical issue?

• Share your response in the chat box on the left side of the screen.

Question

• What are a few of the facts?

• Share your response in the chat box on the left side of the screen.

Thank You

Evaluations will be sent to you electronically please take a moment to complete.