In addition to following the Code of Ethics of their mental health credentialing body, approved clinical supervisors shall:
1. Ensure that supervisees inform clients of their professional status (e.g., intern) and of all conditions of supervision.
Supervisors need to ensure that supervisees inform their clients of any status other than being fully qualified for independent practice or licensed. For example, supervisees need to inform their clients if they are a student, intern, trainee or, if licensed with restrictions, the nature of those restrictions (e.g., associate or conditional). In addition, clients must be informed of the requirements of supervision (e.g., the audio taping of all clinical sessions for purposes of supervision).
2. Ensure that clients have been informed of their rights to confidentiality and privileged communication when applicable. Clients also should be informed of the limits of confidentiality and privileged communication.
The general limits of confidentiality are when harm to self or others is threatened; when the abuse of children, elders or disabled persons is suspected and in cases when the court compels the mental health professional to testify and break confidentiality. These are generally accepted limits to confidentiality and privileged communication, but they may be modified by state or federal statute.
3. Inform supervisees about the process of supervision, including supervision goals, case management procedures, and the supervisor's preferred supervision model(s).
4. Keep and secure supervision records and consider all information gained in supervision as confidential.
5. Avoid all dual relationships with supervisees that may interfere with the supervisor's professional judgment or exploit the supervisee.
Any sexual, romantic, or intimate relationship is considered to be a violation. Sexual relationship means sexual conduct, sexual harassment, or sexual bias toward a supervisee by a supervisor.
6. Establish procedures with their supervisees for handling crisis situations.
7. Provide supervisees with adequate and timely feedback as part of an established evaluation plan.
8. Render assistance to any supervisee who is unable to provide competent counseling services to clients.
9. Intervene in any situation where the supervisee is impaired and the client is at risk.
10. Refrain from endorsing an impaired supervisee when such impairment deems it unlikely that the supervisee can provide adequate counseling services.
11. Supervisors offer only supervision for professional services for which they are trained or have supervised experience. Supervision should not include assistance in diagnosis, assessment, or treatment without prior training or supervision. Supervisors are responsible for correcting any misrepresentations of the qualifications of others.
12. Ensure that supervisees are aware of the current ethical standards related to their professional practice, as well as legal standards that regulate the practice of counseling.
13. Engage supervisees in an examination of cultural issues that might affect supervision and/or counseling.
14. Ensure that both supervisees and clients are aware of their rights and of due process procedures, and that you as supervisor are ultimately responsible for the client..
15. It is considered unethical for an ACS to supervise a relative or immediate family member.
Revised 9/2005
