D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, r. 17-6609
Licensed professional counselors shall not discriminate against clients because of age, color, culture, disability, ethnic group, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status, or socioeconomic status.
Licensed professional counselors shall inform clients, preferably in writing, regarding the counseling process and counseling relationship at or before the time it begins and throughout the relationship.
Licensed professional counselors shall make every effort to avoid dual relationship with clients that could impair their professional judgment or increase the risk of harm to clients. When a dual relationship cannot be avoided, licensed professional counselors shall take appropriate steps to ensure that their judgment is not impaired and that no exploitation occurs.
Licensed professional counselors shall not engage in any type of sexual intimacies with current clients and shall not engage in sexual intimacies with former clients within a minimum of two years after terminating the counseling relationship. Licensed professional counselors who engage in such relationship after two years following termination shall have the responsibility to thoroughly examine and document that such relations did not have an exploitative nature.
Licensed professional counselors shall take steps to protect clients from physical or psychological trauma resulting from interactions during group work.
Licensed professional counselors shall explain to clients, prior to their entering the counseling relationship, financial arrangements related to professional services.
Licensed professional counselors shall assist in making appropriate arrangements for the continuation of treatment of clients, when necessary, following termination of counseling relationship.
Licensed professional counselors shall avoid entering or immediately terminating a counseling relationship if it is determined that they are unable to be of professional assistance to a client. The counselors shall assist in making an appropriate referral to the client.
Licensed professional counselors shall keep information related to counseling services confidential unless disclosure is in the best interest of clients, is required for the welfare of others, or is required by law.
Licensed professional counselors shall take measures to ensure that subordinates maintain privacy and confidentiality.
Licensed professional counselors shall clearly communicate to group members that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in groupwork.
Licensed professional counselors shall not disclose information about one family member in counseling to another family member without prior consent.
Licensed professional counselors shall maintain appropriate confidentiality in creating, storing, accessing, transferring and disposing of counseling records.
Licensed professional counselors shall obtain prior consent from clients in order to electronically record or observe sessions.
Except as provided in § 6609.9, licensed professional counselors shall obtain client consent to disclose or transfer records to third parties.
Licensed professional counselors shall disguise the identity of the client when using data for training, research or publication.
Licensed professional counselors shall practice only within the boundaries of their competence.
Licensed professional counselors shall in engage in continuing education to maintain their professional competence.
Licensed professional counselors shall refrain from offering professional services when their personal problems or conflicts may cause harm to a client or others.
Licensed professional counselors shall accurately represent their credentials and services when advertising.
Licensed professional counselors shall not use their place of employment or institutional affiliation to recruit clients for their private practice.
Licensed professional counselors shall claim or imply only professional credentials possessed and shall correct any known misrepresentation of their credentials by others.
Licensed professional counselors shall not engage in sexual harassment.
With the consent of the client, licensed professional counselors shall inform other mental health professionals serving the same client that a counseling relationship between the counselor and client exists.
Licensed professional counselors shall alert their employers to institutional policy or conditions that may be potentially disruptive or damaging to the counselors' professional responsibilities or that may limit their effectiveness or deny clients' rights.
Licensed professional counselors shall select competent staff and shall assign responsibilities compatible with staff skills and experiences.
Licensed professional counselors shall not engage in exploitative relationships with individuals over whom they have supervisory, evaluative, or instructional control or authority.
Licensed professional counselors shall not accept fees or other remuneration for consultation with persons entitled to such services through the counselors' employing agency or institution.
Licensed professional counselors shall not accept referral fees.
Licensed professional counselors shall perform only testing and assessment services for which they are competent.
Licensed professional counselors shall not allow the use of psychological assessment techniques by unqualified persons under their supervision.
Licensed professional counselors shall use assessment instruments in the manner for which they were intended.
Licensed professional counselors shall provide explanations to clients prior to assessment about the nature and purposes of assessment and the specific uses of results.
Licensed professional counselors shall ensure that accurate and appropriate interpretations accompany any release of testing and assessment information.
Licensed professional counselors shall not base their assessment or intervention decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are obsolete or outdated for the current purpose.
Licensed professional counselors shall not engage in sexual relationships with their students and supervisees.
Licensed professional counselors shall give credit to students or supervisees for their contributions to research and scholarly projects.
Licensed professional counselors who offer clinical supervision services shall be trained and prepared in supervision methods and techniques.
Licensed professional counselors shall clearly state to students and supervisees in advance of training, the levels of competency expected, appraisal methods, and timing of evaluations. Counselors shall provide students and supervisees periodic performance appraisals and evaluation feedback throughout the training program.
Licensed professional counselors shall make every effort to ensure that the rights of peers are not violated when students and supervisees are assigned to lead counseling groups or provide clinical supervision.
Licensed professional counselors shall assist students and supervisees in securing remedial assistance, when needed, and shall dismiss from the training program students and supervisees who are unable to provide competent services due to academic or personal limitations.
Licensed professional counselors who conduct experiences for students or supervisees that include self-growth or self-disclosure shall inform participants of counselors' ethical obligations to the profession and shall not grade participants based on their nonacademic performance.
Students and supervisees preparing to become licensed professional counselors shall adhere to the Code of Ethics and the Standards of Practice of counselors.
Licensed professional counselors shall avoid causing physical, social or psychological harm or injury to subjects of research.
Licensed professional counselors shall keep confidential information obtained about research participants.
Licensed professional counselors shall report all variables and conditions known to the investigators that may affect research data or outcomes.
Licensed professional counselors shall not distort or misrepresent research data or fabricate or intentionally bias research results.
Licensed professional counselors shall give appropriate credit to those who have contributed to research.
Licensed professional counselors shall take appropriate action when they reasonably believe that a counselor or other mental health professionals are acting in an unethical manner.
Licensed professional counselors shall not initiate, participate in, or encourage the filing of ethical complaints that are unwarranted, or intended to harm a mental health professional rather than to protect clients or the public.
A licensee, student, or graduate practicing professional counseling pursuant to this chapter shall adhere to the standards set forth in the most recent edition of the Code of Ethics as published by the American Counseling Association.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 17, r. 17-6609