GC PCN505 Full Course

GC PCN505 Week 1 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

In your own words, where do you think laws, ethics, and values come from? Describe the similarities and differences between these three. Give an example of when you can be lawful, but unethical.

dq 2

How can the ACA and NAADAC codes of ethics help you in providing treating to someone with different values than your own? What actions might you take to help you work through this conflict?

GC PCN505 Week 2 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Janet has been seen by you for treatment of depression. On intake, she disclosed that she was in AA and had been sober for 6 months. Janet seems to be happy with her progress, but after a few sessions, she seems to be noncommunicative and upset. After six sessions, she discontinues therapy with you. You learn that she has engaged another counselor who treats alcohol use and the co-occurring disorders. This morning you received notice from your licensing board that Janet filed a complaint against you alleging that you attempted to treat Janet’s addiction to alcohol and that you did not have the expertise necessary to do so. You are a Licensed professional counselor but you have not obtained training in addictions. Based on this information, answer the following questions:

1. Does Janet have a valid complaint? Why or why not?

2. How would you respond to the Licensing board complaint?

3. How would you avoid this type of complaint in the future?

dq 2

Present examples of why counselors in private practice have special risks and obligations with regard to ethical decision making that may be different from those of counselors who practice in agency settings. What special precautions or practices should a private practitioner adopt in order to minimize professional liability and ensure that their treatment of clients remains soundly within the boundaries of professional practice standards?

GC PCN505 Week 3 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

How can multicultural competence be an ethical issue as it relates to professional standards regarding competence to practice? Present three examples of how a counselor's lack of cultural awareness could affect the quality and outcomes of counseling. What steps could be taken to ensure that counseling a client is both culturally competent and ethical? Cite a multicultural-related code from the ACA or NAADAC codes of ethics.

dq 2

Describe in detail situations in which referring your client to a different counselor and/or agency should be considered. If referral is not an option, what ethical alternatives could you identify to continue to work with this client? Include references to the ACA and/or NAADAC code of ethics to support your response.

GC PCN505 Week 4 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Sheila came to your office about 8 months ago seeking counseling. She stated that she, "hoped to save her marriage." After a few sessions with Sheila, you suggested that couples counseling might be helpful, but her husband, Roy, refused to participate. Three months ago, Sheila and Roy went through a very nasty breakup of their marriage, and now you have been subpoenaed to produce all of your records pertaining to Sheila's treatment. Sheila has told you not to comply with the subpoena.

What should you do? Why?

Describe the specific steps you would take in responding to the subpoena.

dq 2

Marcie is a new client and a 22-year-old female who works as a receptionist in a doctor's office. She has just revealed to you during the intake session that she has recently lost interest in most activities, has been sleeping a great deal yet feels tired all the time, and sometimes wishes she could cease to exist. She mentioned feeling as though she has been "on an emotional roller coaster" during the past year, throughout her on-again/off-again relationship with a 35-year-old married man. The last breakup with him seemed final, and Marcie has felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into depression ever since. When probed further about suicidal ideations, Marcie admitted that she has considered killing herself, although she is uncertain whether or not she would actually do it. She said that she is currently in possession of a gun that her friend allowed her to keep in her home following a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood, but she does not know whether she would actually use it.

You have consulted with your supervisor, who has agreed that Marcie should be referred immediately for a psychiatric evaluation and has instructed you to arrange for Marcie to go directly from your office to a nearby hospital. Marcie told you that her mother accompanied her and is in the waiting room, but she has emphatically stated that she does not want her mother to know what is going on with her. How should this delicate situation be handled? Why? What are three ethical and/or legal concerns about this case?

GC PCN505 Week 5 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

Read the ACA and NAADAC Codes of Ethics and compare the positions that each takes on issues of dual relationships. Provide examples of dual relationships for which these codes do not give definitive guidance about the appropriateness of the relationship. How should a counselor make a decision to enter or not enter into a dual relationship?

dq 2

How would you handle the following three situations? What would you do in each?

1. Your client expresses emotional or physical attraction to you and you have similar feelings for your client.

2. You have feelings of attraction to your client, but you do not know if your client has similar feelings toward you.

3. Your client expresses attraction to you, but you do not have any feelings of attraction toward your client.

GC PCN505 Week 6 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1

You are a counselor working at a publicly funded alcohol and drug treatment program. Your client, Doug, attends one of your counseling groups. Although he has a previous conviction and is on probation for possession of an illegal substance, he entered treatment as a voluntary client. Doug's probation officer recently learned from another probationer that Doug is in treatment, and the officer has sent you a letter requesting that you provide a progress report and an assessment of Doug's likelihood of relapse. The probation officer will use this information, if favorable, to petition the court for Doug's early release from probation.

Discuss your options for responding to the probation officer's request and describe what you would do. Cite relevant legal issues, including federal confidentiality and privacy regulations in your discussion. Identify the specific circumstances under which you would provide the information requested by the probation officer. How would you handle this differently if Doug were involuntarily attending the group?

dq 2

Judith is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in private practice. She has a contract to facilitate psycho-educational groups for students in a local public high school. Many of the students in her groups are dealing with the divorce of their parents. Judith has decided to create a specific psychoeducational group for adolescents whose parents are divorcing or divorced. What should be covered in her pregroup screening interviews with the students?

GC PCN505 Week 7 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1
You are the executive director of a small publicly funded behavioral health agency that serves indigent clients. After 10 years of being able to serve all clients seeking help, your agency has just received a 20% funding cut and must prioritize which services to discontinue and which clients to turn away. The community has many suggestions: stop serving undocumented immigrants and their children; stop serving substance abuse clients, limit all clients to six sessions, discontinue providing expensive services like psychiatry, lay off professional counselors and hire non-licensed paraprofessionals, stop providing counseling and instead simply offer peer self-help groups and parenting classes, serve only the most seriously ill (or the least seriously ill), and serve only children. How would you approach the difficult task of cutting services by 20% in a manner that reflects your ethical obligations as a community counselor? What criteria would you consider? How would you make a final decision about what to cut from your program? Reference the ACA and/or NAADAC Code of Ethics to support your answer.

dq 2
A managed care clinician completed a utilization review and has just denied authorization for you to continue treating a client. You believe that the client could benefit from four additional sessions. At the same time, you understand that the managed care clinician must apply criteria of medical necessity to justify continued treatment, and you are aware that many of your agency's clients have problems much more severe than your client's. Make a list of all of the ways that you could try to ensure that the managed care system does not prevent you from giving your client the type and duration of treatment services that he or she needs. Categorize each of the items into two groups reflecting those that would be considered professionally appropriate and ethical, and those that would be considered to be a violation of professional ethical standards.

GC PCN505 Week 8 Discussion 1 & 2

dq 1
You are counseling in an agency setting in which your supervision consists of a weekly group staff meetings. At these meetings, agency policies, procedures, and other administrative issues are discussed. You are uneasy with this situation because you believe that true clinical supervision would help you improve your counseling skills and your current work with clients. You are also aware that you need a minimum number of documented hours of clinical supervision in order to obtain your independent counseling license, and you wonder if your supervisor’s brief notes about “staffing cases” as the activity in these staff meetings are sufficient documentation. Discuss the ethical issues involved in this situation, describe your options for how to proceed, and identify the option(s) you would choose. Explain your reasoning. Cite an ethical code in your response.

dq 2

Darla is a Master’s of Arts in Professional Counseling student working at her prepracticum site. Mike is a prepracticum student assigned to the same prepracticum site as Darla. Both Darla and Mike report directly to the same site supervisor. About halfway through the prepracticum, Darla realizes that many of the clients assigned to Mike for counseling are coming to see her. Comments from Mike's clients have led Darla to believe that Mike is acting unethically. How should Darla handle this situation? What are the ethical and legal implications?

If Darla tells her supervisor, and her supervisor does not act on her concerns, what are the ethical and legal implications?

GC PCN505 Week 1 Assignment

Details:

Complete the "Short Answer Questions" document. You must provide short answers of 150-200 words for each of the three questions listed within the document.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.

PCN-505 Short Answer Questions

Directions:Provide short answers of 150-200 words foreach of the following questions. Use course material and other scholarly resources to support your responses.Follow APA guidelines when answering the questions. Citations and references should be presented in accordance with APA guidelines.

1. Who are the major theorists that have contributed to the field of counseling? How have they influenced the field?Theories for consideration are listed below. Select one to two theories to discuss. Your response for this question should not exceed a total of 200 words.

a. Psychoanalytic theory

b. Cognitive-behavioral theory

c. Reality therapy

d. One other theory of your choice

2. What are the current trends in professional counseling? How do these trends influence the practice of professional counseling?Some topics for consideration are listed below. Pick one or two of these topics and discuss current trends related to them. Your response for this question should not exceed a total of 200 words.

a. Online Counseling

b. HIPAA/Confidentiality

c. Implications of Behavioral Diagnoses in Integrated Health

d. Prevention & Wellness

e. Evidence-based Practice

f. Another topic of your choice

3. How does being a member of professional associations help a counselor? What benefits can these associations provide counselors and how they treat clients?

GC PCN505 Week 3 Benchmark Assignment Value Objectivity Paper

Details:

Should a counselor remain value-objective about controversial issues presented by a client (such as abortion, suicide, adultery, drug use, domestic violence, child abuse, etc.)? Some counselors might argue that they should not express their values or criticize their clients for these behaviors, while others would say that expressing moral judgment is appropriate.

Consider the information above and chapter 3 of the textbook. Write a 1,000-1,250-word paper addressing the following:

1. Analyze the ethical implications of a counselor expressing their values to a client.

2. Identify actions a counselor might take when confronted with clients they find difficult to treat due to differences in values/beliefs regarding one or more of the following issues: abortion, suicide, adultery, drug use, domestic violence, child abuse

3. Identify factors that might lead a counselor to consider referring a client with any controversial issues to another counselor.

4. Describe steps a counselor should take if referral is not an option.

Be sure to use the ACA and NAADAC codes of ethics as guidelines when constructing your paper.

Include three additional scholarly resources in your paper.

The Writing Suggestions document provides further suggestions for writing a quality paper.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

This benchmark assignment assesses competency 2.3: Analyze ethical issues in the practice of professional counseling.

GC PCN505 Week 3 State Licensing Signature Form Assignment

Details:

This assignment will help you to become familiar with the licensure and certification requirements in your state as well as the ethical guidelines and implications related to licensure.

Explore the "PCN Licensure Requirements" media piece located at http://lc.gcumedia.com/zwebassets/courseMaterialPages/pcn505_licensure-requirements-contract-v1.1.php

Read the ACA Code of Ethics and your state's rules and laws related to licensure and certification for the field in which you are currently pursuing a degree from GCU.

Access and sign the "Student Licensure and Certification Requirements Signature Form."

Submit the signed form to your instructor.

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.

Student Licensure and Certification Requirements Signature Form

I, ___________________, am currently enrolled in the Grand Canyon University (GCU):

Master of Science in Professional Counseling Program ______

Master of Science in Addiction Counseling Program ______

Master of Science in Christian Counseling Program ______

Master of Science in Christian Counseling of Substance Use and AddictiveDisorders Program ______

(Please write your initials by the appropriate degree.)

This assignment will allow you to become familiar with the licensure and certification requirements in your state as well as the ethical guidelines and implications related to licensure.

Below are links that may help you find your state’s licensing and certification requirements for the program in which you are enrolled:

Professional Counseling

• National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) (http://www.nbcc.org/stateboardmap)

• American Counseling Association (http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/licensure-requirements)

Addiction Counseling

• Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (http://www.nattc.org/getCertified.asp)

• International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (ICRC/AODA ) (Provides links to state boards.) (http://professionals.internationalcredentialing.org/boards)

• For Arizona students: Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners, Rules and Laws (http://www.azbbhe.us/node/5)

• The Association for Addiction Professional (NAADAC) http://www.naadac.org/

By signing below, I attest that I have read and understand my home state’s ethical, licensing, and/or certification requirements for the field in which I am currently pursuing a degree from GCU.

The checked box next to your printed name constitutes your electronic signature.

______________________ _________ 1

Printed Name Date Electronic Signature Acknowledgment

GC PCN505 Week 4 Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities Paper Assignment

Details:

Access the "Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities Assignment Guidelines." You will be writing a 1,500-1,750-word paper. Complete the paper according to the assignment guidelines.

Include at least six scholarly resources in addition to the textbook in your paper.

The Writing Suggestions document provides further suggestions for writing a quality paper.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.\

Counselor Ethics and Responsibilities Assignment Guidelines

Directions:Follow the directions below to write a paper of 1,500-1,750 words on counselor ethics and responsibilities.

For this paper, write from the perspective that you are a professional counselor in the field. Provide a thoughtful response to each of the following foursections, including specific, concrete examples to illustrate your ideas. Use the section headings provided below to separate each section of your paper.

Your final deliverable should be one cohesive paper addressing all four sections along with an introduction and conclusion.

Section 1: Counselor Values

1) Select two of the following issues you feel strongest about and describe your personal values and attitudes towardthem.

a) Abortion. (A 19-year-old rape victim wants an abortion, but her parents are vehemently opposed to abortion on religious grounds and have stated that they will no longer consider her their daughter if she proceeds. The young woman is firm in her plans, but wants your help in changing her parents’ attitudes.)

b) Gay adoption. (John and Bill, after living in a committed relationship for seven years, decide that they want to begin afamily. They have differing opinions about whether to use a surrogate mother or adopt a child.)

c) Assisted suicide. (Eleanor, an 87-year-old with terminal cancer, has decided to end her life but is undecided about how to discuss this with her family, or if she should discuss it with them at all. She seeks your guidance in this decision, but is not interested in revisiting her decision to end her life.)

d) Extramarital affairs. (Both spouses in a couple you are counseling are having affairs, which they claim are not contributing in any way to their current marital difficulties. They want your help in strengthening their marriage but they are both committed to the “open marriage” concept that does not require sexual monogamy.)

2) Describe how you would counsel the client in each situation you selected. HINT: Make sure you reference ethical codes from ACA, NBCC, or NAADAC.

Section 2: Client Rights

1) Describe how you will incorporate the following five principles of ethical practice in order to maintain your clients' rights.

a) Autonomy

b) Nonmaleficence

c) Beneficence

d) Justice

e) Fidelity

2) Discuss the informed consent process and how it protects client rights including:

a) Billing

b) Right to Privacy

c) HIPAA compliance

d) Compliance with credentialing board requirements for incorporating informed consent into practice

Section 3: Responsibility to Warn and Protect

Identify the factors that you will consider in order to determine your “duty to warn” and “duty to protect” responsibilities as a counselor. Be sure to consider ethical guidelines as well as the laws pertaining to the "duty to warn" and "duty to protect" in the state in which you plan to practice.

Section 4: Client Record-Keeping

Discuss the role of client record keeping in protecting the following:

a) a client's rightto a professional standard of care

b) the counselor from liability

GC PCN505 Week 6 Benchmark Assignment State Credentialing Board Research Project

Details:

Access the "State Credentialing Board Research Project Instructions." You will be writing a 1,250-1,500-word paper. Complete the project according to the assignment instructions.

Include at least five scholarly resources in addition to the textbook in your paper.

The Writing Suggestions document provides further suggestions for writing a quality paper.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin: however, your instructor might decide to submit the assignment.

This benchmark assignment assesses the following competencies:

• 1.3: Demonstrate knowledge of requirements for licensure and certification for the practice of professional counseling.
• 2.2: Examine legal and professional ethical standards of professional counseling.
• 5.1: Differentiate between tiered levels of licensure or certification for professional counselors.

State Credentialing Board Research Project Instructions

Directions:The purpose of this project is to help you become familiar with the credentialing and regulatory processes that will govern your practice as a counselor.

In order to complete this project, you will need to select a state to use as the basis for your research. You should select either the state in which you currently reside or the state in which you plan to practice.

Information regarding credentialing in the state you have selected can be gathered in one or more of the following ways. (These are options. You are not required to do all three of these.)

1. (Preferred) Reviewing the content of the state credentialing board website.

2. Attending a public meeting of the state credentialing board.

3. Interviewing a member of the state credentialing board.

Note: Please do not contact the board to get this information as most likely they will not get back to you in time to complete this assignment.

State Credentialing Board Research Project Paper

Using the information you gathered,write a 1,250-1,500-word paper on your state credentialing board. Include the following in your paper:

1. Identifying information about the state board (name, location,etc.)

2. Mission of the state board

3. Regulatory authority and scope (cite the statutes and rules that govern the board’s activities, describe the discipline(s) regulated by the board, and describe the scope of the board’s authority to regulate professional practice)

4. State board/committee structures through which the board performs its functions (committee names and responsibilities, frequency of meetings, topics included on board/committee agendas, and composition of board and committees)

5. Summary of the requirements for licensure or certification in the state

6. Description of the credentialing/licensing process, including the kinds of information reviewed to establish an applicant’s eligibility for certification or licensure for differing tier levels, and the typical number of applications processed per month

7. Description of the complaint process, from the initial receipt of a complaint to its final adjudication, and the typical number of complaints processed per month. What are some of the disciplinary outcomes cited? (Review the meeting notes to obtain this information).

8. Explain how the board refers legal issues that they cannot address to the appropriate agencies.If this information is not available, please describe the efforts you made to access it.

GC PCN505 Week 7 Scenario Analysis Assignment

Details:

Access the "Scenario Analysis Assignment Guidelines.” Complete the assignment as described in the guidelines.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin.

PCN-505 Scenario Analysis Assignment

Directions:Read the scenarios below. For each scenario, provide a 75-150 word response to each question. Use the ACA and NAADAC Codes of Ethics and other scholarly resources to support your responses.You must provide at least one citation to support your response for each scenario. Citations and references should be presented in accordance with APA guidelines.

Scenario One:Barbara is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) working for a nonprofit social service agency. Many of the clients in the agency are female domestic violence victims. The director of the agency has asked Barbara to develop a counseling group to serve the needs of these individuals.

Question One: What ethical matters should Barbara consider as she plans this group?

Question Two: What methods should Barbara use to ensure confidentiality in the context of group counseling?

Question Three: If breaches of confidentiality occur, how should Barbara manage them?

Scenario Two:David is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) and a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) working for a family counseling center. Steve, one of his adult clients, would like to begin couples counseling with his wife.

Question One: What ethical matters should David consider before beginning to see Steve and his wife?

Question Two: What special issues of confidentiality may arise in the case? How should David address these issues?

Question Three: How might differences in personal values and gender/cultural issues create ethical dilemmas in this case?

Scenario Three:Stephanie is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) who has decided to start a private practice. As she makes her plans, there are many ethical issues she must consider. While these issues are of concern to all counselors, she must consider how they specifically impact a counselor in private practice.

Question One: How can she ethically handle limited resources, respond to discrimination, and promote community change?

Question Two: As a service provider, with what ethical issues and practices related to state insurance laws and managed care must she be familiar?

Question Three: What are the ethical obligations and limitations faced by a counselor who serves clients who have been the victim of discrimination, injustice, poverty, or lack of access to behavioral health services?

GC PCN505 Week 8 Benchmark Counselor Ethical Boundaries and Practices Assignment

Details:

Access the "Counselor Ethical Boundaries and Practices Assignment Guidelines." You will be writing a 1,500-1,750-word paper. Complete the project according to the assignment guidelines.

Include at least five scholarly resources in addition to the textbook in your paper.

The Writing Suggestions document provides further suggestions for writing a quality paper.

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Please refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

This benchmark assignment assesses the following competencies:

• 1.2: Analyze independent and collaborative roles of the professional counselor.
• 2.1: Evaluate elements of counselor-client relationships within the practice of professional counseling, focusing on professional ethical standards.
• 5.2: Recognize the importance of establishing and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.

Counselor Ethical Boundaries and Practices Assignment Guidelines

Directions:Follow the directions below to write a paper of 1,500-1,750 words on counselor ethical boundaries and practices.

For this paper, write from the perspective that you are a professional counselor in the field. Provide a thoughtful response to each of the following three sections, including specific, concrete examples to illustrate your ideas. Use the section headings provided below to separate each section of your paper.

Your final deliverable should be one cohesive paper addressing all three sections along with an introduction and conclusion.

Section 1: Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships

Part A – Decision-Making Model and Counseling Examples

How would you determine if a boundary-crossing or dual relationship is ethical and appropriate? What criteria would you consider when making your decision?

Present examples of how you would apply this criteria to at least four counseling situations in which you believe the dual relationship issues are complex and ambiguous. One of your examples should address the issues of physical attraction between clients and counselors.

Part B-Ethical Issues and Dimensions

In addition, examine these issues in terms of former clients. Address the following:

· Do the ethical issues (and your opinion about appropriateness) change, depending on how long after the termination of therapy a dual relationship is initiated?

· What are the key ethical dimensions that might change, after the termination of therapy?

· Present an example of a situation that you believe would constitute a boundary violation with a current client but might be acceptable with a former client.

Section 2: Professional Collaboration in Counseling

Part A – Working with a Multidisciplinary Team

Explain why counselors frequently collaborate with other stakeholders regarding a client's care in order to maintain professional and ethical boundaries and practices.

For example, professional counselors frequently work with clients with addiction issues. Addiction counselors may work with clients who also have a co-occurring disorder. The specific roles of each of these counselors are welldefined; straying into an area outside your scope of practice is unethical.

How would you work independently as a counselor within your scope of practice as well as collaborativelywith other mental health professionals to ensure quality client care?Whatis the role of a counselor ina multidisciplinary team?

Part B –Relationships with Supervisors and Colleagues

Describe the ethical issues involved in the supervisor-counselor relationship. How is this relationship similar to the counselor-client relationship?How is it different?

Outline a series of criteria and describe how you would integrate the criteria into an ethical decision-making model to respond to issues of incompetence and/or unethical conduct by fellow counselors.

Section 3: Development of Your Thinking about Ethics

Clearly describe what you consider to be the most important developments in your thinking about ethical practice that have occurred during this course. This may include areas in which you have clarified your views and beliefs, modified your thinking on a given issue, gained new insights, or acquired a new perspective. It may include issues whose complexity you now appreciate more fully or difficult issues that you now understand you must grapple with, as a counselor. What have you most learned about yourself and/or about what constitutes becoming an ethical practitioner and how has your thinking about ethics and legal issues changed? Be sure that you include specific examples to illustrate general statements.