Ethical Decision-Making Model Assignment: Summative assignment 

The Ethical Decision-Making Model summative assignment is used to determine student knowledge and skills in the Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice CACREP core area. Students who fail a summative assignment (receive a rating scale of 2 or below) are required to meet with the issuing faculty. Such students are either placed on a developmental plan or dismissed from the program.

Evaluation Process: The professor will complete the following rubric to assess student professional counseling orientation and ethical practice knowledge and skills. Points correspond to the rating scale.  

Ethical Decision-Making Model Assignment 

Assignment Overview

Purpose: The purpose of the assignment is to demonstrate competence applying a decision-making model to a dilemma in practice. This assignment is a key assessment of your learning in the Counseling program. The American Counseling Association recommends that all professional counselors adopt an ethical decision-making model for use in day-to-day practice. For the purpose of this assignment, you will apply the ACA ethical decision-making model to a select case relevant to your field of practice. 

Instructions: First, read the case study depicting and ethical dilemma Download case study depicting and ethical dilemma in mental health counseling practice. Next, use the ACA Ethical Decision-Making Model from your text to discuss the dilemma. Write your responses in full sentences or paragraphs. It is okay to embed a list in a paragraph. APA format is not required with this assignment; however, still include a cover page. There is not a page minimum, but each section should be at least a paragraph in length, thoroughly discussing the section according to the rubric guidelines. Your submission should not exceed more than 7 pages. 

Evaluation: You will be evaluated for your ability to follow directions and discuss each step. Please see the rubric below. I will note where a response is inadequate, and you will be directed to sources of information that will assist your learning following the evaluation. There are no make-up assignments.  Please ensure you address each step fully based on the ethical decision-making model presented in chapter 1 under the "Steps in Making Ethical Decisions" section of your Corey et al. (2019) textbook. 

Step 1: Identify the problem or dilemma. 

Gather all the necessary information regarding the situation and clarify whether the conflict is ethical, legal, clinical, cultural, professional, or moral – or a combination of any/all of these. Please be sure the address each of the following questions: What is the crux of the dilemma? Who is involved? What are the stakes? What values of mine are involved? What cultural and historical factors are in play? What insights does my client have regarding the dilemma? How is the client affected by the various aspects of the problem? What are my insights about the problem? 

Step 2: Identify the potential issues involved.  

List and describe the critical issues and discard the irrelevant ones. Evaluate the rights, responsibilities, and welfare of all those who are affected by the situation. Consider the cultural context of the situation, including relevant cultural dimensions of the client’s situation such as culture, race, socioeconomic status, and religious or spiritual background. Other relevant variables include the client’s age and the client’s relationship with other family members. Consider the six fundamental moral principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity and apply them to the situation, including those that may be in conflict. It may help to prioritize these ethical principles and think through ways in which they can support a resolution to the dilemma. 

Step 3: Review the ethical codes.  

Consult the 2014 ACA ethical codes and identify the most highly relevant codes. You may cut and paste the codes into your response below. Consider whether your own values and ethics are consistent with, or in conflict with, the relevant codes. If you are in disagreement with a particular standard, do you have a rationale to support your position? 

Step 4: Know the applicable laws and regulations.   

What are the critical laws or regulations that impact this case?

Step 5: Obtain consultation.   

Are there factors you are not considering? Have you thoroughly examined all of the ethical, clinical, and legal issues involved in the case? Who would you like to consult (besides your instructor) to gain more information for the case.  Think of three persons or professional organizations.  

Step 6: Consider possible and probable courses of action 

Think of 2-3 possible courses of action for the counselor in the case. Generate a variety of possible solutions to the dilemma (Frame & Williams, 2005). Consider the ethical and legal implications of the possible solutions you have identified. What do you think is likely to happen if you implement each option? 

Step 7: Enumerate and consider the possible consequences of various decisions 

For the courses of action you listed in Step 6, think of potential psychological and social costs, risks and benefits for each action. Examine the probable outcomes of various actions, considering the potential risks and benefits of each course of action. Use the six fundamental moral principles (autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, fidelity, and veracity) as a framework for evaluating the consequences of a given course of action. 

Step 8: Choose what appears to be the best course of action  

Based on your work in Steps 6 & 7, what would you most likely do based on limited information you have now.  What would you want to know to determine whether it is the best course of action. Then evaluate your course of action by asking these questions (Frame & Williams, 2005):  

• • How does my action fit with the code of ethics of my profession?  
  • To what degree does the action taken consider the cultural values and experiences of the client?  
  • How might others evaluate my action?  
  • What did I learn from dealing with this ethical dilemma? 

Points: 100 ▼See rubric below