NCMHCE Professional Practice and Ethics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client discloses they are a mandated reporter but failed to report a colleague's suspected child abuse. What is the counselor's primary ethical obligation?
- Report the colleague's failure to the licensing board
- Explore the client's feelings and legal exposure without breaching confidentiality
- Immediately report the suspected abuse yourself as a mandated reporter (Correct answer)
- Terminate the client relationship due to legal conflict
Correct answer: Immediately report the suspected abuse yourself as a mandated reporter
Counselors who become aware of suspected child abuse through a client are themselves mandated reporters and must fulfill that legal duty regardless of the client's disclosure context.
Question 2: Under the ACA Code of Ethics, when is it permissible for a counselor to engage in a nonprofessional relationship with a former client?
- After 1 year if the relationship is non-sexual
- Never under any circumstances
- After 5 years if the counselor can document no harm will result (Correct answer)
- Immediately if both parties provide written consent
Correct answer: After 5 years if the counselor can document no harm will result
The ACA Code requires a minimum 5-year post-termination period and counselors must demonstrate no exploitation before engaging in personal relationships with former clients.
Question 3: A counselor learns their supervisee has been falsifying progress notes. The MOST appropriate first action is to:
- Immediately report the supervisee to the licensing board
- Confront the supervisee directly and document the conversation (Correct answer)
- Ignore it if clients appear to be making progress
- Transfer all of the supervisee's clients to another provider
Correct answer: Confront the supervisee directly and document the conversation
Supervisors must address ethical violations by supervisees directly and document the interaction before escalating to formal reporting bodies.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes 'vicarious trauma' as it relates to counselor self-care ethics?
- A counselor experiencing burnout from heavy caseloads alone
- Cumulative transformation of a counselor's worldview from repeated exposure to clients' traumatic material (Correct answer)
- Secondary PTSD that only affects inpatient psychiatric staff
- Countertransference that originates from the counselor's own unresolved trauma
Correct answer: Cumulative transformation of a counselor's worldview from repeated exposure to clients' traumatic material
Vicarious trauma refers to the lasting change in a counselor's cognitive schemas and worldview resulting from empathic engagement with traumatized clients.
Question 5: A client asks their counselor to write a letter supporting their disability claim. The counselor has seen the client for only two sessions. Ethically, the counselor should:
- Write the letter because the client has a right to advocacy
- Decline because providing such documentation requires adequate clinical knowledge of the client (Correct answer)
- Write the letter only if the client signs a release
- Refer the client to a psychiatrist for documentation
Correct answer: Decline because providing such documentation requires adequate clinical knowledge of the client
Providing forensic documentation requires sufficient assessment and clinical history; two sessions is generally inadequate to render a professional opinion for legal or insurance purposes.
Question 6: The ethical principle of 'justice' in counseling MOST directly refers to:
- Ensuring clients are not harmed by therapeutic interventions
- Treating all clients fairly and advocating for equitable access to services (Correct answer)
- Respecting client autonomy in all treatment decisions
- Maintaining honesty and transparency with clients
Correct answer: Treating all clients fairly and advocating for equitable access to services
Justice as an ethical principle concerns fairness, equal treatment, and advocacy for access to mental health services across diverse populations.
Question 7: A counselor is subpoenaed to testify about a client in a civil lawsuit. The client has not signed a release. The counselor should FIRST:
- Testify fully because a subpoena overrides confidentiality
- Refuse to testify and risk contempt of court
- Consult with an attorney and assert privilege on the client's behalf pending a court order (Correct answer)
- Contact the client immediately and obtain a release before the hearing
Correct answer: Consult with an attorney and assert privilege on the client's behalf pending a court order
A subpoena alone does not waive privilege; counselors should seek legal counsel and assert the client's privilege until a court order specifically compels disclosure.
NCMHCE Professional Practice and Ethics 2
A client discloses they are a mandated reporter but failed to report a colleague's suspected child abuse.
What is the counselor's primary ethical obligation?