CBHT Ethical and Professional Conduct 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A BHT overhears a colleague discussing a client's diagnosis loudly in the break room with non-clinical staff. What is the most appropriate response?
- Join the conversation to add clinical context
- Remind the colleague privately that this violates client confidentiality (Correct answer)
- Report the colleague to law enforcement immediately
- Ignore it since the client is not present
Correct answer: Remind the colleague privately that this violates client confidentiality
Discussing client PHI with non-clinical staff in public areas violates HIPAA and professional ethics; a private reminder is the first appropriate step.
Question 2: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'scope of practice' for a BHT?
- The geographic area where the BHT is licensed to work
- The specific tasks and responsibilities a BHT is trained and authorized to perform (Correct answer)
- The number of clients a BHT can serve simultaneously
- The legal right to diagnose behavioral health conditions
Correct answer: The specific tasks and responsibilities a BHT is trained and authorized to perform
Scope of practice defines the procedures, actions, and processes a BHT is permitted to undertake based on training, certification, and applicable law.
Question 3: A client offers a BHT a $50 gift card as a thank-you for excellent care. What should the BHT do?
- Accept it to avoid seeming ungrateful
- Accept it only if the gift is under the agency's allowed limit
- Decline it and explain the agency's gift policy regarding professional boundaries (Correct answer)
- Accept it and share it with the treatment team
Correct answer: Decline it and explain the agency's gift policy regarding professional boundaries
Most behavioral health agencies prohibit accepting gifts from clients to maintain professional boundaries and prevent dual relationships.
Question 4: When a BHT disagrees with a supervisor's treatment directive, the most ethical course of action is to:
- Refuse to follow the directive and document the refusal
- Follow the directive without question regardless of concern
- Express the concern professionally to the supervisor and document it appropriately (Correct answer)
- Contact the client's family about the disagreement
Correct answer: Express the concern professionally to the supervisor and document it appropriately
BHTs should voice professional concerns through appropriate channels while continuing to function within the chain of command.
Question 5: Which action represents a breach of professional ethics by a BHT?
- Documenting client progress in the approved electronic health record
- Sharing client records with a client's attorney without a signed release (Correct answer)
- Attending required supervision sessions
- Completing mandatory training on time
Correct answer: Sharing client records with a client's attorney without a signed release
Releasing client records without a valid authorization violates both HIPAA and professional ethics standards.
Question 6: A BHT learns that a coworker is falsifying documentation. What is the ethical obligation?
- Say nothing to avoid workplace conflict
- Confront the coworker publicly in front of clients
- Report the behavior to a supervisor or through the agency's compliance reporting process (Correct answer)
- Alter records to correct the coworker's errors independently
Correct answer: Report the behavior to a supervisor or through the agency's compliance reporting process
Falsifying documentation is fraud; BHTs have an ethical and often legal duty to report such misconduct through proper channels.
Question 7: Cultural competence in behavioral health practice primarily means:
- Speaking multiple languages fluently
- Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs and practices of diverse clients (Correct answer)
- Treating all clients identically regardless of background
- Avoiding discussion of cultural differences with clients
Correct answer: Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to the health beliefs and practices of diverse clients
Cultural competence requires BHTs to recognize and integrate cultural factors into respectful, individualized care.
CBHT Ethical and Professional Conduct 2
A BHT overhears a colleague discussing a client's diagnosis loudly in the break room with non-clinical staff.
What is the most appropriate response?