Ethics and Confidentiality

1. Ethics andConfidentiality Self-Paced Presentation Washington State Department of Social & Health Services

2. How to Use this Presentation You should be seeing a window like the one shown below. Click the buttons at the lower left to advance the presentation. Click here to advance the presentation Be sure to read the notes wherever they appear.

3. Using this Presentation This self-paced presentation is part of an instructional sequence. (Click the step buttons at lower left to advance the presentation) You’ve completed this You are Here Before reading presentation: Do worksheet Part 1 (in Canvas) Read the Presentation Complete worksheet Part 2, using what you learned in the presentation Complete the NASW Code of Ethics assignment Discussion with your coach (and in some cases, your new coworkers) Go back to Canvas Talk with coach

4. Ethics andProfessionalism Self-Paced Presentation Washington State Department of Social & Health Services

5. Child Welfare Social Work Personal vs. Professional Values • Know your personal values/biases • Know your role Ethical Imperatives • Clear professional boundaries • Competence • Integrity • Client self-determination • Confidentiality

6. Ethical Imperative: Professional Boundaries

7. Ethical Conduct: Boundaries • Public employees should not make decisions in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. • RCW 42.52.070, Special privileges • RCW 42.52.140, Gifts • RCW 42.52.150, Limitations on gifts • RCW 42.52.080, Employment after public service

8. Ethical Conduct: Boundaries • Use of State Position • Conflict of Interest • Receiving/exchanging • Money • Gifts • Food or drink • Services • Providing lesser/greater services

9. Gifts • Answer: • May create an attitude where the social worker feels beholden to a client/agency/partner, where they intentionally or subconsciously provide greater services to that person, or even where the social worker’s actions are not affected but there is the perception of favoritism or preference. Your supervisor and peers are a good resource for teasing this out. • DSHS policy regarding accepting gifts in the course of work: • Administrative Policy No. 18.64. • Administrative Policy No. 15.15 • The basic expectation is that nothing will be accepted or exchanged with clients or with other professionals in the course of our work. Of course – there are cultural implications in the refusal of small gifts or food/beverage. In any situation you should weight the potential pros and cons of accepting an offering such as this with no monetary value. • Why might this be the expectation? • What might the impact or appearance be of accepting gifts, money, even food?

10. Ethical Conduct: Boundaries Use of State Position A state officer or employee may not use his or her state position to secure special privileges or to grant exemptions to benefit himself, herself, family members, or other persons.

11. Ethical Conduct: Boundaries Conflict of Interest & Dual Relationships • A conflict of interest occurs when you have a private interest that may benefit from your actions, or when a private interest could interfere with official duties • An interest need not be financial to create a conflict of interest • Most conflicts result from the exercise of discretionary authority

12. Ethical Imperative: Competence

13. Ethical Conduct: Competence • Reasonable knowledge of primary issues of concern • Reasonable knowledge of treatment approaches & their efficacy • Cultural competence • Willingness to seek help and guidance when needed

14. Culturally Competent Practice • One’s ability to work in a way that is effective given the normative expectations of a given community • A willingness to avoid assumptions and to be interested in cultural factors in the broadest sense • Is a continuing process • Begins with self-awareness • Requires basic knowledge of human diversity

15. Ethical Imperative: Integrity

16. Ethical Conduct: Integrity • Employees in public service should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organizations that might influence them in the performance of their duties. • RCW 42.52.020, Activities incompatible with public duties • RCW 42.52.110, Compensation for official duties or nonperformance • RCW 42.52.120, Compensation for outside activities • RCW 42.52.130, Honoraria

17. Ethical Conduct: Integrity Objectivity • Public employees must place the public’s interest before any private interest or outside obligation - choices need to made on the merits. • RCW 42.52.020, Activities incompatible with public duties • RCW 42.52.030, Financial interests in transactions • RCW 42.52.040, Assisting in transactions

18. Ethical Conduct: Integrity Stewardship • Public employees have a duty to conserve public resources and funds against misuse and abuse. • RCW 42.52.070, Special privileges • RCW 42.52.160, Use of persons, money, or property for private gain • RCW 42.52.180, Use of public resources for political campaigns • WAC 292-110-010 • Admin Policy 15.15

19. Ethical Conduct: Integrity Questions to Ask Yourself • Will my use of state resources result in added costs or any other disadvantage to the state? • Am I using this resource in order to avoid personal expense? • Am I confident that my use of state resources will not compromise the security or integrity of state information or software? • Are state resources being used for purposes that could be embarrassing for my agency if reported publicly?

20. The Green Zone • Any Use that is Reasonably Related to Your Official Duties • Combined Fund Campaign

21. The Yellow Zone • Personal Use OK Under Limited Circumstances • Reallyde minimis exceptions • There is little or no cost to the state; • There is no interference with the performance of official duties; • The use is brief in duration and frequency; • The use does not distract from the conduct of state business;and • The use does not disrupt other state employees and does not obligate them to make a personal use of state resources.

22. The Red Zone • Prohibited Uses • Outside business interests • Commercial uses • Illegal or unprofessional activities • Political activities, including lobbying

23. Ethical Imperative: Client Self-Determination

24. Ethical Conduct: Client Self-Determination • Know your role • Identification of role at initial contact • Full and complete identification of concerns • Documentation that is accurate and fairly reflects what occurred • Inform clients of possible impacts of their choices • Use motivational interviewing to enhance motivation for change

25. Ethical Imperative: Confidentiality

26. Ethical Conduct: Confidentiality • Keep information confidential • Except in Duty to Warn situation • Mandatory reporting requirements • Inform clients of the limits of confidentiality • Inform all of documentation requirements • Follow special protocols for protected information • HIV • Certain pieces of info when DV is occurring

27. Conclusion: Ethical Choices • What you find is that the tough ethical choices are not between good and evil, but rather between two goods: • Truth versus Loyalty • Individual versus Community • Short-term versus Long-term • Justice versus Mercy

28. Back to your Worksheet The following slide is an introduction to the worksheet activity you will do next.

29. Worksheet Activity: Dilemmas Now, go to your worksheet in Canvas and complete Part 2: Dilemmas For each dilemma, refer to the Children’s Administration Operations Manual, section 8000 (Human Resource Management. (There is a link in your worksheet.) In each answer, name the title and number of the heading for the section you used for your answer. After you have completed and submitted your worksheet, debrief with your instructor or your group.