CODE OF ETHICS

Code of Ethics



Abstract

Many mental wellbeing associations have ethics codes which create guiding values for professionals. Within in the counseling profession there are several institutions that employ the ethics codes. Among them are the American Counseling Association (ACA) and the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC). The ACA Code of Ethics, written in 2005, have a similar set of codes to the 2004 AACC Code of Ethics, nevertheless they differ in approach and function. This paper will evaluate, compare and contrast the similarities and dissimilarities of the codes in the areas of informed consent, competence of the counselor, and the counselor's relationship to society.

Introduction

One of the intentions of the both the 2005 American Counseling Association Code of Ethics (ACA) and the 2004 American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) is to serve as an ethical guide that assists members in launching an ethical counseling practice that best serves the clients. Since the ACA Code of Ethics and AACC Ethics Codes were written specifically for the counseling profession they have many of the same ideas in regards to ethical practices, procedures, and behaviors. The AACC consulted with the ACA when writing their ethic codes.

The AACC defines their code of ethics from a Christian point of view and the codes are written explicitly for the Christian counselor. The ACA has a more humanistic approach to their codes and the codes are written for the secular counselor. This distinction can be made by simply reading the mission statement of the ACA and AACC. "The objective of the American therapy Association is to enhance the value of life in society by encouraging the development of occupational counselors and utilising the occupation and perform of therapy to encourage esteem for human dignity and diversity" (2005, p. 2) and "The mission of this Code is to ...