Case+9+ACA+Ethical+Decision+Making+Model

ACA Ethical Decision Making Model  media type="youtube" key="WlkOWguHvWk" width="378" height="283" __** Ethical Decision Making **__ Identify and Define the Problem: The problem is that a minor client has arrived at counseling. Upon further investigation, it is learned that the parent’s marital discord could potentially be a factor in the minor client’s problem. The parent’s insurance does not cover marital counseling.

Consider the Principles and Virtues: -Respect for Autonomy: It may not be the counselor’s responsibility to initiate counseling with a client whose insurance does not cover their sessions. As Remley & Herlihy (2010) state, “respect clients’ right to choose their own directions, act in accordance with their beliefs, and control their own lives” Remley & Herlihy (2010). -Nonmaleficence: “To do no harm”. It is possible to breach this moral principle by filing for insurance fraudulently under another client’s name. -Veracity: It is important as a health care professional to act with honest intentions. This includes maintaining honesty with an insurance provider so as to avoid insurance fraud. Virtues

Discernment: The consequences that insurance fraud can yield over the counselor’s career and their client’s future is extensive. Foreseeing the potential dilemma that intentionally misrepresenting information to an insurance company can cause, it would behoove the counselor to avoid such a predicament.

Acceptance of Emotion: Because “emotion informs reason rather than hinders it” Remley & Herlihy (2010), it is important to listen to your gut instinct regarding how to move forward with this dilemma.

Self-Awareness: The counselor must be aware of how his own values can influence the therapeutic approach.

Tune in to your feelings: “Your emotions can help guide you in your decision making” Remley & Herlihy (2010). It appears that Martin is being influenced in his decision making by an overwhelming sense of responsibility to protect his clients.

Consult with colleagues or experts: Collaborating with my co-workers and supervisors would provide a more informed decision towards handling a client who may need counseling services and whose insurance does not cover the type of counseling that they may need.

Involve your client in the decision-making process: It does not appear to be the best decision to immediately begin to counsel a client that does not have the proper means to pay for the counseling sessions. Providing an explanation to the clients as to why they could not be seen for marriage counseling would help keep the clients in control and informed. Since it appeared that the couple needed counseling, the counselor could have offered them contacts to other providers in the community. This way, the client could choose who they wanted to see.

Identify desired outcomes: The desired outcome for this particular scenario would be to have the clients who need marital counseling provided marital counseling through a provider they felt comfortable with and whom they could afford in an honest manner.

Possible actions: Referrals could be provided to the couple, the counselor could counsel the couple at an out-of-pocket rate, the counselor could provide a sliding fee scale provided they maintained the sliding fee for all clients, the counselor could offer pro bono services, the counselor could possibly barter at the client’s initiation of doing so, or the couple could be directed to a church or other community assistance program.

Choose and act on your choice: It would be in the client’s best interest for the counselor and themselves to exhaust all possible aforementioned options, if the clients are comfortable doing so.



Remley, T. & Herlihy, B. (2010). Ethical, Legal, and Professional Issues in Counseling (Third ed.). Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education