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:
During your search, what are the most common reasons for the board to discipline a counselor?
From this list, choose one of the more recent board cases and discuss the following points:
What was the behavior that led to the discipline?
Identify and share the ACA Code of Ethics or ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors and your State Code that was violated.
What was the outcome of the board discipline?
What is your personal reaction as you read this information?
What does the ACA Code of Ethics and the ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors say about counselor impairment?
Describe what counselor impairment looks like in a school counselor and how it impacts students.
What self-care strategies can you employ today to minimize your risk of impairment as an emerging school counselor?
My state is North Carolina.
