NEED DISCUSSION IN 10 HOURS or LESS

Respond to the Classmate’s Discussion (below) as you would in a face-to- face class by stating why you agree as pertaining to the discussion. When responding to your classmates, please provide a resource located in your region that assists clients with acquiring interview and professional clothing (e.g., a clothing closet at a church such as Hope Ministries Clothes Closet of Bushnell, FL; Dress for Success of Phoenix, AZ; Bottomless Closet of Milwaukee, WI; etc.). Explain what the resource offers clients—be specific. Your response posts need to be at least 250 words each. Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas.

Discussion 1 (Nicole)

As a human service professional, it is crucial to abide by the general ethical principles of the profession while also adhering to the employment agency's policies. The ethical principles and agency policies may conflict in certain situations, leading to a difficult decision-making process. This scenario presents a human service professional who is faced with a dilemma where the agency policies only offer career assistance, but the client cannot afford appropriate clothing for interviews. Despite exploring all other options, the client remains in need, and the professional is considering paying for the outfit. To arrive at a decision, utilizing Kitchener's model of ethical decision-making and following the National Organization of Human Services (NOHS) ethical principle can guide the professional in determining whether paying for the outfit is ethical or not.

Kitchener's model of ethical decision-making is a well-known framework that has been widely used in various fields, including healthcare, psychology, and business. The model comprises five stages, including (a) moral sensitivity, (b) moral judgment, (c) moral motivation, (d) moral character, and (e) moral action. The first stage, moral sensitivity, involves recognizing a moral issue and identifying the parties involved. The second stage, moral judgment, involves assessing the situation and deciding on what action to take. The third stage, moral motivation, involves committing to the decision made and recognizing the moral obligation to act. The fourth stage, moral character, involves the development of moral virtues and values that guide decision-making. Finally, the fifth stage, moral action, involves implementing the decision made and taking responsibility for the consequences. Kitchener's model has been praised for its comprehensive approach to ethical decision-making, as it considers both cognitive and affective factors in the process (Robson, 2000). However, some critics argue that the model is too simplistic and does not account for the complex nature of ethical decision-making in real-life situations. Despite these criticisms, Kitchener's model remains valuable for individuals and organizations seeking to make ethical decisions.

In conclusion, the decision to pay for an outfit for a client in need is a complex ethical dilemma that requires careful consideration. Kitchener’s model of ethical decision- making offers a framework for analyzing the situation based on four assumptions: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. In this scenario, the NOHS ethical

principle of promoting self-sufficiency must also be considered. While paying for an outfit may seem like a kind and generous gesture, it could also undermine the client's autonomy and create a dependency on the human service professional. Ultimately, the decision to pay for the outfit must be made considering the client's best interest and the agency's ethical obligations. The human service professional may need to consider alternative solutions or resources to help the client become self-sufficient.

Respond to the Classmate’s Discussion (below) as you would in a face-to- face class by stating why you agree as pertaining to the discussion. When responding to your classmates, please provide a resource located in your region that assists clients with acquiring interview and professional clothing (e.g., a clothing closet at a church such as Hope Ministries Clothes Closet of Bushnell, FL; Dress for Success of Phoenix, AZ; Bottomless Closet of Milwaukee, WI; etc.). Explain what the resource offers clients—be specific. Your response posts need to be at least 250 words each. Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas.

Discussion 2 (Lindan)

"An ethical dilemma is a complicated situation in which one must make a difficult choice or decision in the face of conflicting morals, or the valuesLinks to an external site. one uses to determine the difference between right and wrong" (Rohland, 2022, p. 1). For this situation, the human service professional is being faced with an ethical dilemma. Ethical dilemmas occur often in the professional world. We are often pulled in both directions on what to do. A human service professional has legal obligations for ethics and personal obligations or standards for ethics. In this situation, the human service professional has no obligations with the company to help the client, but feels some personal obligations. According to the NOHS, human service professionals have responsibilities to clients, employers, self, profession, and more. (National Organization for Human Services, 2015).

"The model’s assumptions are that all ethical behaviors are presumed to be based on: (1) autonomy, (2) beneficence, (3) non-maleficence, (4) justice, and (5) fidelity" (Martin, 2018, p. 50). For this situation, the client is acting on their own free will, the professional's actions are trying to benefit the client, no harm is being done, the professional is respecting the rights of the client, and the professional's actions show commitment to the client. I can understand the want for helping another individual who is in need and is trying to better themselves. I would offer to take the client to a used store and shop for professional clothes. Before I did this, I would check with my boss to inform them of what is occurring. This protects the human service professional in a way. Additionally, I would see if any of my colleagues would like to donate old professional clothes so that if this happened again, there is a closet available for use. I believe that

when an individual sees a problem, they try to solve it and make it better in the future. I would assist the client in getting professional attire.

References

Martin, M. E. (2018). Introduction to human services: Through the eyes of practice settings (4th ed.). Pearson.

National Organization for Human Services. (2015). Ethical Standards for Human Services Professionals. Retrieved from https://www.nationalhumanservices.org/ethical- standards-for-hs-professionalsLinks to an external site.

Rohland, L. (2022). Ethical dilemma. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

Respond to the Classmate’s Discussion (below) as you would in a face-to- face class by stating why you agree as pertaining to the discussion. When responding to your classmates, please provide a resource located in your region that assists clients with acquiring interview and professional clothing (e.g., a clothing closet at a church such as Hope Ministries Clothes Closet of Bushnell, FL; Dress for Success of Phoenix, AZ; Bottomless Closet of Milwaukee, WI; etc.). Explain what the resource offers clients—be specific. Your response posts need to be at least 250 words each. Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas.

Discussion 3 (Kayla)

Working in human services, I have come across dilemmas such as this one. I work with children and adolescents so it was not the exact scenario, however I can definitely relate to the aspect of having to evaluate the ethical side of certain situations. Kitchener’s model of ethical decision making helps us to determine what is and is not ethical when it comes to our clients. Having a “litmus test” to guide your decision-making process is essential in many cases where there is uncertainty.

Kitchener lays out the model of ethical decision-making based on autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, and fidelity. Autonomy helps us to ensure that our client is acting on their own free will. Beneficence determines whether or not our professional decision is beneficial to the client. Nonmaleficence makes sure that we are in no way harming our client. Justice measures the dignity of all involved parties, as well as making sure that our actions were carried out in a manner that respected the rights of our client. Fidelity reflects on our loyalty and commitment to our client (Kitchener, 1984).

Prior to reviewing these assumptions, I would be quick to say that I would go buy the client clothes for their interview. We are in fact in the service of helping others to

better themselves and create a better and more stable lifestyle. However, after reviewing the model I would take more time to evaluate every possible scenario and whether or not my initial decision is in fact ethical. I would exhaust every possible option in order to provide for my client’s needs. This could possibly be donating clothes, since they were not paid for, nor bought for them. This eliminates a lot of the red tape in the process of decision-making. I would obviously consult with my supervisor and get their perspective on the dilemma prior to taking any action. Simply put, I am not sure that I would purchase clothes personally for my client, however I would be willing to donate clothes, or find other avenues for them to obtain what they need in order to secure employment. After all, our job as a human service professional is to work towards the improvement of the lifestyles and outcomes of our clients. This does not look the same for every situation, but it is our responsibility to provide resources and go above and beyond for them to better themselves and those around them.

References:

Kitchener's, K. S. [1984]. Intuition, critical evaluation, and ethical principles in clinical decision making. The Counseling Psychologist, 12[2], 53-55.

Martin, M. E. [2018]. Introduction to human services: Through the eyes of practice settings [4th ed.]. Pearson.