Video: Ethical and Risk-management issues in Social Work: What Every Practitioner Needs to Know
Dr. Frederic Reamer (2009). University at Buffalo School of Social Work Alumni Day Presentation. YouTube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cto0lnNPA7k
Dr. Frederic Reamer (2009). University at Buffalo School of Social Work Alumni Day Presentation. YouTube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cto0lnNPA7k
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Legal & Ethical Issues Facing Social Workers
Miller, A. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from: http://work.chron.com/legal-ethical-issues-facing-social-workers-21676.html
Like most mental health and social services providers, social workers face a number of legal and ethical issues throughout their careers. They must make difficult decisions regarding treatment issues, maintain professional boundaries and develop awareness of value conflicts. The National Association of Social Workers' Code of Ethics provides ethical and legal guidelines for social workers in the areas of clients, other professionals, practice settings, the profession and society.
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A List of Ethical Dilemmas Facing Social Work
Miller, A. Houston Chronicle. Retrieved from: http://work.chron.com/list-ethical-dilemmas-facing-social-work-21946.html
Social workers take on a variety of responsibilities that should ultimately serve their clients' best interests. They try to abide by the code of ethics from professional organizations like the National Association of Social Workers or the International Federation of Social Workers as a way to guide their actions. As in any human services profession, social workers may face a number of ethical dilemmas in their practice. An ethical dilemma involves a conflict between two or more ethical principles.
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Ethical Misconduct and Negligence in Social Work
Reamer, F. G. (2015). Social Work Today (15) 5, p. 20. Retrieved from: http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/090915p20.shtml
Reamer, F. G. (2015). Social Work Today (15) 5, p. 20. Retrieved from: http://www.socialworktoday.com/archive/090915p20.shtml
Although infrequent, social workers' misconduct and negligence can lead to lawsuits, licensing board complaints, and other disciplinary action.
Lawsuits brought against social workers typically allege both negligence and malpractice. In general, malpractice occurs when evidence exists of the following:
1. At the time of the alleged malpractice, the social worker had a legal duty to the client.
2. The practitioner was derelict in that duty, either through omission (the failure to perform one's duty) or through commission (an action taken by the practitioner).
3. The client suffered some harm or injury.
4. The social worker's dereliction of duty was the direct and proximate cause of the harm or injury.
In contrast, when making their decisions, licensing boards need not require evidence that social workers' actions (commission) or inactions (omission) caused harm. Rather, licensing boards can sanction social workers based simply on evidence that their conduct violated standards contained in licensing statutes or regulations.
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Reamer, F. G. (2013). Social Work, (58), 2, p. 163-172. Retrieved from: http://www2.sunysuffolk.edu/bybeem/SS22/SW%20in%20a%20digital%20age.pdf
Abstract: Digital, onhne, and other electronic technology has transformed the nature of social work
practice. Contemporary social workers can provide services to chents by using onhne
counsehng, telephone counsehng, video counseling, cybertherapy (avatar therapy), selfguided
Web-based interventions, electronic social networks, e-mail, and text messages.
The introduction of diverse digital, online, and other forms of electronic social services has
created a wide range of complex ethical and related risk management issues. This article
provides an overview of current digital, onhne, and electronic social work services; identifies
compelling ethical issues related to practitioner competence, chent privacy and confidentiality,
informed consent, conflicts of interest, boundaries and dual relationships,
consultation and chent referral, termination and interruption of services, documentation,
and research evidence; and offers practical risk management strategies designed to protect
clients and social workers. The author identifies relevant standards from the NASW Code
of Ethics and other resources designed to guide practice.
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