Ethical Issues in Behavioral Health

Behavioral health practitioners, including social workers, psychologists, mental health and substance use counselors, psychiatric nurses, and psychiatrists, face a wide range of complex ethical challenges. What are the limits of clients' confidentiality rights? How do I manage boundaries and dual relationships in a small community? How should I respond to clients' Facebook friend requests? When is it appropriate to share personal information with clients? Is it ethical to provide services to clients remotely without ever meeting them in person? Inevitably, practitioners encounter challenging ethical dilemmas that require sound judgment in order to protect clients and service providers.