As pointed out in your text, ensuring counselor competence is an ongoing responsibility for every counselor. Go to your particular state board’s website and look up cases of counselor’s who were disciplined by the board. You may want to look under such terms as “case decisions,” enforcement actions,” “actions taken by board,” or “discipline.” If you cannot find your particular state’s disciplinary decisions, then pick another state. Look over the cases that have come before your state board and answer all of the following questions:
- What are the most common reasons for a board to discipline a counselor, and what is your personal reaction as you read through the list?
- What are some themes you see when you look at the common reasons for board discipline?
- Choose one of the more recent cases and discuss the following points:
- What was the behavior that led to the discipline?
- Identify and share the ACA Code of Ethics and your State Code that was violated.
- What was the outcome of the board discipline?
- What was the behavior that led to the discipline?
- What does the ACA Code of Ethics and your state code say about counselor impairment?
- What is a question this brings to mind for you?
