Professionals in the human services field tend to adhere to complex ethical standards when serving communities of different cultural affiliations. The report looks into an instance where a difficult situation at a human services agency for a local Native American tribe occurs where the elder, also a housekeeping worker, is not only providing illegal counselling but also accessing client records. Older people ended up raising questions of confidentiality and even unauthorized practice depending on the culture and an older person of holder unity role. By doing a theoretical analysis, deliberating upon the moral issues, and devising an action plan based on ethical principles and cultural values, this report has aimed to respond to the diverse challenges ethically and in a manner that is considerate of other cultural values.
Analysis of Ethical Issues
The case raises several ethical issues, including impartiality/unauthorized counselling and breach of client confidentiality, causing much harm by contradictory advice (Berg-Weger & Tyuse, 2023). The problems mainly concern the principles of beneficence (doing good), nonmaleficence (avoiding harm), autonomy (respecting people’s discretion to give a separate opinion about the matter), and justice (ensuring fairness regardless of any discrimination or the other).
Unauthorized Provision of Counseling
Despite his sincere intentions, the elder’s move clearly trespasses the professional limits not corresponding to qualification. It is technically risky to furnish counselling to clients for whom the counsellor is not duly qualified and under regulatory supervision, which may jeopardize the principle of nonmaleficence, which entails the welfare of the clients.
Breach of Client Confidentiality
Authorized access to client records without approval breaks the clients’ private confidentiality, which actually means a soul of ethical practice in human services and healthcare (Berg-Weger & Tyuse, 2023). Such leakage may deteriorate the trust clients reserve for that agency, with or without which services cannot be viewed as effective.
Potential Harm from Contradictory Advice
On the one hand (either side), with the lack of knowledge unlike that of qualified professionals, the advice that is given creates confusion and may harm the clients, which is against the principle of beneficence (Stoll et al., 2020). Therefore, it may also be the case where they tend to act by others’ bids that may be unverified, contradicting their desires.
Reflect on Personal Beliefs
In this case, my decision-making process is through the cultural competence, respect, and special role that older people have in the lives of Native Americans. One has to comprehend and appreciate the meaning and significance of tribal elders within the tribe, along with cultural traditions that may have shaped the action. However, my primary competence with ethical practice in social work, particularly safeguarding client safety and confidentiality and the right to privacy, ensures a social worker’s duties and responsibilities. Keeping the mantle of ethical standards and care for cultural practices is a delicate act that must be carefully addressed to ensure that neither is undermined nor that clients get unsafe treatments.
Decision and Justification
The method used in this ethical problem is to find a way to solve the dilemma while keeping in mind and respecting that the elder is an integral part of the community. An advised way is to apply for a formalized, supervised position that would utilize his credibility and his relationship with the community without jeopardizing the client’s privacy and professional aid norms.
Engagement and Education
Establish a dialogue, or an interaction, with the elder and tribal leader regarding the circumstances; however, respect professional boundaries and maintain client confidentiality as it relates to enhancing their well-being (Banks, 2020). Pinpoint the operations design that will meet his needs and fit into the framework of the organization’s integrity.
Supervised Collaboration
Suggest a model where the elders have to give their approximation for which legal professional will oversee the process. This training might include information about the confidentiality and ethics codes of the prevailing organization.
Cultural Liaison Role
Introduce the position of an old citizen as a cultural link and adviser where he can share his knowledge and views in the form reported under the official confidentiality restrictions without directly interacting with clients and providing unsupervised counselling.
Risk Management Strategies
Policy Review and Training
Evaluation of the monitoring codes and the provision of counselling services without affecting the client’s confidentiality and without violating the agency’s policies should be the priority. Run orientation seminars for staff members covering these policies and the reasons for having an ethical organization.
Monitoring and Supervision
Implement the strict policies of an oversight system for access to the client’s records and provide counselling services only the qualified staff can execute. Establish a surveillance and guidance platform under his involvement to ensure his contribution to this program is helpful and does not impair the work done.
Client Feedback Mechanism
Establish a specific mechanism to provide clients with structured feedback, facilitating the expression of inputs regarding services that should include non-professional advisors. Use this feedback constantly to enhance services and address any applicable comings.
Cultural Competence Training
Organize cultural competence training courses for all staff, stressing the significance of respect and integration of Native American traditions and perspectives in a way which is ethical and helpful for service delivery.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the situation where the Indian ancestor failed to obtain approval before providing counselling service and accessing his client’s records involves intricate ethical issues. These challenges, which focus on beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy, and justice, also link the cultural significance of older people in the community. The proposed approach aims to respect the cultural beliefs and traditions of the Native American group and ensure an observable code of conduct in human services facilities. The agency can consult with the elder and tribal leaders, providing a supervised and formalized role for older people by the agency and improving those policies and training regarding confidentiality and ethical standards to address ethical dilemmas occurring in the social services agency.
References
Berg-Weger, M., & Tyuse, S. W. (2023). The practice of generalist social work. Routledge.https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003301264
Stoll, J., Müller, J. A., & Trachsel, M. (2020). Ethical issues in online psychotherapy: A narrative review. Frontiers in psychiatry, 10, 993.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00993
Banks, S. (2020). Ethics and values in social work. Bloomsbury Publishing.https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English#:~:text=The%20following%20broad%20ethical%20principles,all%20social%20workers%20should%20aspire.
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