Forensic Ethics and Indirect Practice for the Rehabilitation Counselor

Abstract

For nearly 50 years, the specialty area of forensics has emerged as an established practice setting in rehabilitation counseling, and it is predicted to be the fastest-growing area of practice in the profession. Reflecting the increased number of practitioners in the specialty, the revised Code for Professional Ethics of Rehabilitation Counselors names Section F (Forensics and Indirect Services) as a guide to the ethical practice for rehabilitation counselors in this specialty. The section includes 17 standards specific to clients’ and evaluees’ rights, rehabilitation counselors’ forensic competency and conduct, forensic practices, and forensic business practices. Furthermore, the unique relationship of the forensic rehabilitation counselor with the person receiving services is clarified through the introduction of the definition of evaluee , a term that has gained unilateral agreement throughout the field of forensic rehabilitation.

Ethics Consultation in Rehabilitation Counseling

“…Consistent with the results of the Shaw and Lane (2008) study, there continues to be a high number of advisory opinions related to forensic rehabilitation, one of the fastgrowing areas of rehabilitation practice (Barros-Bailey et al, 2010). Importantly, the 2010 revisions expanded the number and structure of the ethical standards related to forensic practices (Barros-Bailey et al).…”

“…In addition, the related Section G: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation was cited another 17 (3.6%) times. As found by Shaw and Lane (2008), there continues to be a high number of advisory opinions related to forensic rehabilitation, one of the fast-growing areas of rehabilitation practice (Barros-Bailey, Carlisle, & Blackwell, 2010). The rest of the citations were spread out across the remaining sections of the Code .…”

Good, better, best? A model for Australian practitioners of forensic vocational assessment

“…In 2006, the International Association of Rehabilitation conducted an independent study on the ethics of professionals in forensic environments. The Commission for Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC), a rehabilitation counsellor certification body, benefited from this research and revised the CRCC Code of Ethics in 2010 with a section dedicated to forensic ethics (Barros-Bailey et al, 2010). This section provides an ethical guide to forensic vocational assessors and includes 16 standards specific to the rights of the client and the assessed, the rehabilitation counsellor's forensic competency and conduct, forensic practices and forensic business practices (CRCC, 2017).…”

Analysis of the Reported Ethical Complaints and Violations to the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification, 2006–2013

“…As one of the fast-growing areas of practice, the Ethics Committee received increased requests for advisory opinions related to forensic rehabilitation (Shaw & Lane, 2008). In response, the 2010 Code revisions expanded the number and structure of the ethical standards related to forensic practices (Barros-Bailey, Carlisle, & Blackwell, 2010). In a climate of an increasingly finite amount of government funding, there may be increased pressures by clients and third-party payers to produce unsubstantiated and biased evaluation reports affecting access to rehabilitation and health care services.…”