Counseling Techniques

Purpose of Ethical Standards

Ethical Standards for School Counselors

(Written Report)

Riva L. Taboy

MAED Student
Purpose of Ethical Standards

Ethical Standards for School Counselors

The American School Counselor Assistance (ASCA) recently revised its ethical code for professional
school counselors, The Ethical Standard for School Counselors, in 2010. Professional school counselors
have a unique challenge in counseling minors in that they provide services in an educational setting.
Consequently, school counselors not only have a primary allegiance and ethical responsibilities to
student clients , but also have an ethical responsibility to advocate for students with significant others
such as parents/guardians, the school and the community. Additionally, school counselors have
responsibilities to Self, colleagues and the Profession to act in an ethical manner. Changing societal and
professional issues require future ethical code revisions to meet the needs of contemporary counselors.
This article describes the more than forty new standards and other significant changes on a section-by-
section basis.

One characteristic of a profession is the adoption of a formal code of ethics. This code represents the
collective concept of what constitutes ethical behavior within that specific group at any particular point
in time. The code also provides member with a frame of reference for making decisions in what are
often ambiguous, difficult, and complex situations. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA)
recently revised the Ethical Standards for School Counselors (2010), which the Georgia School
Counselors (GSCA) and most other state professional ethics code. GSCA has done since the initial
development and adoption of the Ethical Standards for School Counselors 1984.

ASCA's latest revision of the Ethical Standards for School Counselors contains about forty new standards
as well as significant changing in existing standards. This represents a greater increase in the number of
new standards than the two previous traditions in 2004 and 1998 combined. Why are there so many
additions and changes in this revision? Generally, goats of ethics then to be reactive to changes in the
profession and in society as a whole. As the issues confronting school counselors change, so must is the
profession code of ethics change? Ethical standards are not static (Huey, Salo and Fax, 1995).

Numerous environmental forces and societal movements have affected school counselors and provided
the impetus for the addition of new ethical standards. This include:
(a) innovations in technology (Stone, 2009; Williams, 2007; Williams 2009)

(b) changing demographics and inequities in accessing services and resources for multicultural
populations ( Gysbers & Henderson,2001; Paisley & McMahon,2001)

(c) violence and school safety, (Hermann & Finn,2003; Stone,2010; Williams,2009)

(d) demands for counselor accountability ( Paisley & McMahon,2001; Stone 2005)

(e) liability issues, (Huey & Remley, 1988; Stone,2005; Stone 2009);

(f) current economic climate (Tucker, 2010)

Initially developed as ASCA position statements, several of these issues became so pervasive and
significant that they evolved into ethical standards (Williams,2007). Topics such a technology, violence,
and safe schools, and multicultural equity are examples of issues that were elevated to ethical
standards. The ASCA 2010 version of the Ethical Standards for School counselors provides guidelines to
address many of this concerns.

The format of this article is essentially identical to one used previously by the author and describing the
1992 revision of the ethical standards (Huey, 1992) and provides a section-by-section overview of the
new standards and other major changes in the revised ethical standards. Because the focus of this
article is restricted to the new standards and those with major changes, it is important about counselors
obtain a complete copy of the updated standards. Counselors can obtain the latest version of the ASCA
code of ethics at http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=325&sl=136&contentid=136.

Mental health professionals generally accept that "The single characteristics that best distinguishes
school counselors from other mental health professionals is a direct result of their work setting".
(Huey,1986,p.321). The uniqueness of the educational work setting includes having minors for clients,
and owing responsibilities to collaborate with other significant groups in the student's lives, such as
parents/guardians, and the school and community.

Regardless of the amount of detail, no article can replace the knowledge gained from personal reading,
review of ethics codes, and attendance of professional development programs and workshops on this
topic. As professionals, school councilors must continuously update their knowledge and aspirations
with respect to ethical decision-making (Huey & Remley, 1988; Williams,2007). Adherence to ethical
standards, as stipulated in a formal code, provides a best practice rational if it becomes necessary for a
practitioner to support or defend his or her actions. According to Remley, Huey, and Sikes (2010) school
galaxy laws who know their code of ethics are in a much better position to engage in ethical manners
and conduct (p.8). Consequently, all professional school conselors should become familiar with the
changes in the new and revised standards. The ethical standards for school councilors is an invaluable
document for providing guidance in discerning the best course of action and free assuring counselors
that they acted in a professional and ethical manner.
The 1984 version of ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors initially consisted of six sections
corresponding to the professional school councilors traditional areas of responsibilities to student,
parents, colleagues and professional associates, school and community, self, and profession. Two
additional supportive sections where included in the 1992 revision: Section G Maintenance of Standards
and Section H Resources. Revisions made in the 1998 Adidas deleted Section H due to the growing size
of the code of ethics. Revision efforts added the Subsections throughout the document in the 1998
elevation providing more structure for the growing number of standards (36 standards in 1984 and over
100 and 2010).

Section A. Responsibilities to Students

A.1. Responsibilities to Students

A.2. Confidentiality

A.3. Academic, Career/College/Postsecondary Access and Personal/Social Counseling Plans.

A.4. Dual Relationships

A.5. Appropriate Referrals

A.6. Group Work

A.7. Danger to Self or Others

A.8. Student Records

A.9. Evaluation, Assessment and Interpretation

A.10. Technology

A.11. Student Peer Support Program

Section B. Responsibilities to Parents/Guardians

B.1. Parent Rights and Responsibilities

B.2. Parents/Guardians and Confidentiality

Section C. Responsibilities to Colleagues and Professional Associates

C.1. Professional Relationships

C.2. Sharing Information with other Professionals

C.3. Collaborating and Educating Around the Role of the School Counselor

Section D. Responsibilities to School, Communities and Families

D.1. Responsibility to Community

Section E. Responsibilities to Self

E.1. Professional Competence

E.2. Multicultural and Social Justice Advocacy and Leadership

Section F. Responsibilities to the Profession

F.1.d. Professionalism

F.2.c. Contribution

F.3. Supervision of School Counselor Candidates Pursuing Practicum and Internship Experiences

F.4. Collaboration and Education about School Counseling Programs with Other Professionals

Section G. Maintenance of Standards

References: