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Ethical Dilemmas In Mental Health Counseling

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Ethical Dilemmas In Mental Health Counseling
In this scenario, there is a 16 year old female client who presents in my office with her mother. Her mother states, that the client has been distant, grades has been slipping and she has been skipping school. Mother states that she just divorced her father and had to pick up extra shifts just to pay the bills. She does not have that extra time like she use to, where she was able to attend the extracurricular activities and support her daughter.
Before I start the individual sessions with the client, I would explain to them about confidentiality and what my job is as a Mental Health Counselor and because the client is under 18, I would have the parent to sign consents, saying it is okay for the client to be seen in and treated in this office. Discussing informed consent is explaining to
…show more content…
In section B.2.a code of ethics, it states that counselor is required to disclose information about a client, who disclose about harming themselves or others (ACA, 2014). In the state of Florida, Florida Statues Section 394.4615 (3)(a) (2016), states that if a patient states they want to harm a person, a counselor is able to release information to warn that individual who is being threatened of harm by the patient. If i determine if the client is a high risk and is a harm to herself, under the Florida Mental Health Act, as a Mental Health Counselor I would be able to Baker Act my client. Under the Florida Statue Section 394.463 (2)(f)(2014), when a client receives involuntary examination, a client is held up to 72 hours, and the only way the Baker Act can be released is by a physician or

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