Legal and ethical responsibilities of counselors in crisis situations

Crisis Response Portfolio
A crisis is an event that abolishes or adversely influences the health and safety of clientele, personnel or the local community. In the course of a crisis, numerous serious decisions have to be made in a fast-paced manner. Professional counselors during a crisis play an important role.

This paper will take into consideration the roles and responsibilities of a professional counselor in the course of a crisis. Specifically, the legal and ethical responsibilities of a professional counselor during a crisis situation will be comprehensively examined. Obligated reporting criteria identified by the State of Florida will also be included. Furthermore, the state requirements and protocols for the Emergency Response Team in the State of Florida will be comprehensively reviewed.

Part 1: Roles and Responsibilities
Ethical Responsibilities
Owing to the demanding and distinctive challenges experienced in crisis counseling, it is dissimilar from any other sort of counseling. Counselors play an active role in the participation of local, state and national organizations that foster the development and enhancement of counselors. In this regard, they are obligated to advocate to promote changes at the individual, group, organizational and communal levels that enhance the quality of life for persons and groups and eradicate conceivable obstacles to the provision or access of suitable services being rendered (ACA, 2014). One of the key ethical responsibilities of professional counselor working in a crisis situation is to have a proper and extensive understanding of the American Counseling Association (ACA) Code of Ethics and regularly practice ethical decision making. That is, counselors have a responsibility that encompasses reading, understanding and adhering to the ACA Code of Ethics as well as sticking to the applicable laws and resolutions that have been sanctioned in the state of Florida. This ought to encompass stages and considerations that aid the crisis counselor to react in an ethical manner to the needs of disaster survivors of all age brackets that are seen not only locally but also nationally and globally (Glossof & Kocet, 2006).
A second responsibility takes into account ascertaining the ethical concerns within the setting of the disaster. This also becoming aware of the diverse cultures as well as religious values adhered to by the people in that region. Fundamentally, the responsibility of the counselor is to respect the dignity of the clients and promoting their welfare. An additional key responsibility includes respecting the privacy of the clients. It is imperative of the counselors to respect the client rights to privacy and solely beseech and ask for private information solely when it is beneficial to the whole process of counseling. Professional counselors are obligated to practice solely within the confines of their competence, on the basis of their education, teaching, supervised experience, professional credentials accredited by the state or nation and also suitable professional experience. In spite of the fact that multicultural counseling competency is necessitated across all counseling domains, counselors attain knowledge, personal cognizance, sensitivity, and skills that are relevant to being a culturally competent counselor dealing with a client population that is diverse (ACA, 2014).
Furthermore, there is the responsibility of the counselors to deal with testimonials. This is in the sense that the counselors who make use of testimonials should not solicit or obtain them from the current group of clients or any former clients or any other individuals that may be susceptible to undue influence (Glossof & Kocet, 2006). Councilors have the responsibility to partake in accurate and precise advertising. Imperatively, when advertising or in other instances partaking in the representation of their services to the general public, counselors identify their professional credentials in a correct manner that is not false or fabricated, misleading or fraudulent. There is also the responsibility of making certain that the advertisements of the products they develop in relation to their profession are accurate and reveal information for customers to make choices and decisions that are informed. Imperatively, counselors have a key responsibility to make certain that they do not make use of counseling, training, education or supervisory affiliations to promote their products or training events and forums in a way that is false and misleading or would result in the exertion of undue influence on persons who may be susceptible (ACA, 2014).
Legal Considerations
There are legal considerations and mandated reporting criteria identified by the state of Florida that are meant to be followed and adhered to by professional counselors. To begin with, all of the records held and maintained by the Department of Children and Family Services regarding any instances of the desertion, mistreatment, or negligence of a child, as well as reports made to the central abuse hotline and together with all records created owing to such reports, should be maintained confidential and exempt from the inspection and copied by public records (State Statutes Search, 2019). Secondly, a professional counselor is mandated to report any known or suspected child abuse. In the event that the counselor who perceptively and deliberately fails to do so, or meaningfully and deliberately prevents another individual from doing so, commits a felony of the third degree and upon conviction, the person may be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 5 years and given a fine of $5,000. A professional counselor who meaningfully and deliberately makes a false report regarding child abuse, neglect or mistreatment or gives advice to another individual to provide a false report is guilty (State Statutes Search, 2019).
State Requirements and Protocols for Emergency Response Team (ERT).
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is mandated with providing disaster support and help to the residents of the state of Florida. Imperatively, this emergency response team consists of branches and emergency support function, which work in tandem to accomplish mission undertaking and request for direct assistance to areas affected by disaster (State Emergency Response Team, 2019). The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) for Florida has emergency support functions that comprise of requirements such as transportation, communication, public works, firefighting, information and planning, mass care, resource support, health and medical, search and rescue, law enforcement, energy, public information, food and water, animal protection as well as business, industry and economic stabilization (State Emergency Response Team, 2019).
There are three protocols for the Emergency Response Team in Florida:
1. Level 1: Full Scale Activation of SERT
In this particular level, of the main and support agencies that operate under the state plan are given notifications. The State Emergency Operations Center will include personnel from the Division of Emergency Management members of staff together with all Emergency Support Functions (EOC Activation Levels, 2019).
2. Activation of SERT
This is an activation of the agency that might not necessitate activation of each section, support function or branch. Notifications are sent out to all primary Emergency Support Functions. The State Emergency Operations Center will include personnel from the Division of Emergency Management members of staff together with all Emergency Support Functions (EOC Activation Levels, 2019).
3. Level 3: Monitoring Activation
This particular level can be delineated as characteristically as a monitoring or observation stage. All of the state agencies and Emergency Support functions that would be necessitated to take action as everyday accountability will be notified. The State Emergency Operations Center will include personnel from the State Warning Point Communicators and members of staff from the Division of Emergency Management. (EOC Activation Levels, 2019).
Resources
1. The Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has the responsibility and role of responding to, planning for, recuperating from, and alleviating against disasters.
2. National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc
NASADAD’s fundamental objective is to nurture and support the advancement of efficacious alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment programs all the way through every State in the United States. The organization offers a policy brief with respect to trauma and substance use or substance abuse in times of natural or human-made disasters.
3. National Center for Trauma-Informed Care
NCTIC fundamentally provides services to persons already getting services from the behavioral health system and is motivated on assisting behavioral health services and programs to end up being more cognizant of the effect of trauma among clients, to have accustomed services to integrate trauma-informed practices, and to aid raise responsiveness of practices or processes that are more probable to re-traumatize customers.
4. National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (NVOAD) organizes planning endeavors by numerous voluntary entities providing response to disaster. Member organizations offer more efficacious service and less replication by working in tandem and forming affiliations before disasters strike. In the event that disasters take place, the organization or an affiliated State organization, for instance in Florida inspires members and other voluntary agencies to assemble on site. This supportive determination has demonstrated to be the most efficacious means for an extensive range of volunteers and organizations to work in partnership in a crisis. The organization’s principles are collaboration, harmonization, communication, education, alleviation, assembling mechanisms, and outreach.

References EOC Activation Levels. (2019). Retrieved March 10, 2019, from Florida Division of Emergency Management: https://www.floridadisaster.org/sert/eoc-activation-levels/ State Emergency Response Team. (2019). Retrieved March 10, 2019, from Florida Division of Emergency Management: https://www.floridadisaster.org/sert/ State Statutes Search. (2019). Retrieved March 10, 2019, from Child Welfare Information Gateway: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/laws-policies/state/?CWIGFunctionsaction=statestatutes:main.getResults ACA. (2014). 2014 ACA Code of Ethics. ACA Governing Council. Glossof, H. L., & Kocet, M. M. (2006). Highlights of the 2005 ACA Code of Ethics. In G. R. Walz, & R. K. Bleuer, VISTAS: Compelling perspectives on counseling (pp. 5-9). Alexandria: American Counseling Association. Resume
Career Objective:
To operate as a professional crisis counselor with Florida State Organizations and Charities and help individuals who have been afflicted with coping with undesirable circumstances through counseling, guidance as well as support.
Summary of Skills: Experience in counseling persons experiencing anguish and suffering due to life crisis Outstanding telephone conduct and emphatic outlook Capability to assess mental health status of persons and providing solutions Strong organizational, problem-solving, and management skills Experienced in making sound decision and using discretion Knowledge in building relationship with persons and maintaining affiliation Capability to speak and write succinctly and precisely Work Experience:
Crisis Counselor
Florida Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
March 2014 – Present Responded to Clients by telephone and in person, evaluated needs, provided excursions and determined suitable treatment. Facilitated smooth client transition and alignment into guest houses by providing a high level of sympathy and encouragement Engaged with persons facing a mental health and/or drug & alcohol crisis in person Accomplished short term objectives through resolve of the crisis event Provided recovery focused on supportive advising, verbal de-escalation and conflict resolution Directed clinical evaluation, suicide-homicide risk assessment and deterrence Enabled referrals for outpatient and inpatient services Nurtured positive relationships with community partners such as hospitals, police, schools and human service providers Crisis Counselor
Absolute Care, Florida
August 2012 - February 2014 Provide mental and emotional support and assisted clients considering different solutions to their issues Imparted skills to clients essential to leading an independent life after life crisis circumstances Aided people in coping with all sorts of traumatic, regardless of whether it is mental and physical, problems Commended persons in taking divine path to tranquil their troubled mind Utilized sound decision skills and providing instantaneous solutions for short-term and long-term problems Instigated and synchronized stress management programs in community