COUC 501 ethical_violations_and_board_discipline assignments.pdf

Running head: ETHICAL VIOLATIONS AND BOARD DISCIPLINE 1

Ethical Violations and Board Discipline

ETHICAL VIOLATIONS AND BOARD DISCIPLINE 2

Psychologists are expected to follow regulations, ethics, and rules during their

professional practice. State boards are created to enforce ethics, regulations, and rules in

professional counseling practice. Therefore, the Florida Board of Psychology is tasked with

enforcing Florida state laws and ethics regarding professional counseling practice.

Notably, the Florida Board of Psychology is authorized to take disciplinary actions on

psychologists who fail to adhere to the professional regulations and ethics. Failure to adhere to

the Florida state's counseling ethics and laws is regarded as professional misconduct. Different

disciplinary actions include fines, probation, and operation restriction. I feel that preventing

these misconducts protects the patients and counseling profession's integrity.

The Florida state counseling ethics and laws are based on the American Counseling

Association (ACA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) ethical codes. The APA

emphasizes that counselors should adhere to the principles of dignity, respect and justice,

responsibility and fidelity, nonmaleficence and beneficence, and dignity in their professional

practice. ACA encourages professional counselors to adhere to ethical principles like veracity,

beneficence, fidelity, nonmaleficence, justice, and autonomy (Firmin et al., 2019). Generally, the

principles act as foundational elements for main professional counseling themes. Notably,

counseling revolves around themes of improving patient welfare, promoting resilience,

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development, and improving coping ability. Counseling also focuses on the theme of supporting

patients in creating and maintaining social relationships. Professional misconduct prevents

counselors from integrating these themes with their programs.

demonstrated in the case of Jane Doe versus Dr. Roe Clarke. Jane Doe (the Plaintiff) indicated

that Dr. Roe Clarke (the Defendant) exposed her to physical and mental abuse during a

counseling program. Doe indicated that Dr. Clarke indicated that she was ethical and competent

result, the board confiscated Dr. Clarke's license after she was found guilty of professional

misconduct.

The Florida Board of Psychology also addresses a situation where counselor impairment

inhibits their professional practice. The board cites instances where counselors experience

physical and mental impairment. Specifically, the board indicates that counselors should not

serve patients while having mental problems. The board observes that psychological impairment

increases the counselors' likelihood of conducting ethical misconduct. Furthermore, the board

discourages counselors from serving patients while under the influence of recreational

substances. Notably, the board observes that drugs reduce counselors' capacity to make sober

decisions regarding patients' health. Therefore, one question that comes into mind is “Does the

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Florida Board of Psychology conduct a follow-up examination on counselors operating in

Florida to ensure that they are of sound mind at all times?

particular, the Florida Board of Psychology enforces the professional counseling law to prevent

the occurrence of misconducts that might reduce patients' welfare.

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References

Anidjar & Levine. (2020). Florida Board of Psychology Discipline Defense Lawyer. Anidjar &

Firmin, M. W., DeWitt, K., Shell, A. L., Smith, L. A., & Zurlinden, T. E. (2019). Technology