The Ethics Corner
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In each publication of Professional Issues in Counseling, we will present an ethical case vignette and ask for feedback from the journal readers. Responses can be sent by e-mail to edu_msn@shsu.edu. The responses will be included in the next issue of piic. |
Case Vignette #1: |
Created by Lee Ann Miller, Stephanie Clements, Monica Polonyi, and Marcy Porter |
A 17 year old male confesses to his school counselor that he has been having unprotected sex with his 17 year old girlfriend. She has just informed him that she is pregnant. He performed a preliminary HIV test and tested positive. He is unwilling to admit his HIV status to her out of fear of her anger. |
Case Vignette #2: |
Created by Terry Thompson, Avia Benzion, April Loeb, and Coralei Rodriguez |
An LMFT is seeing a 15 year old female who discloses that she has been having unprotected sexual relations with 5 identified male students at her school. She has been tested and diagnosed as HIV positive and has not informed anyone else. She refuses to inform her parents of boyfriends. |
Responses to the Spring 2002 Vignette |
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Case Vignette: |
You are a first year school counselor at a middle school. One morning, John, a sixth grade student approaches you and says he needs to talk to you. He begins to share concerns he has about his new stepfather. He believes his stepfather is selling drugs. He says his stepfather frequently has "suspicious" visitors and that he always takes the visitors to the garage. John says there is a locked workroom in the garage and that he has been told on several occasions to stay away from the room because Steve, his stepfather has expensive tools inside. One day John was looking for a hammer in the garage. Steve walked up behind him, grabbed him by the shirt, shoved him against the wall and warned him to stay away from the workroom. Steve threatened to hurt John if he saw him in the garage again and if told his mother about the incident. John says Steve doesn't have a job but always has a big roll of money. When John questioned his mother about Steve's job she said that he was a self-employed businessman. John states that Steve carries a locked briefcase. John says he is afraid of Steve and doesn't want Steve to hurt him or his mother. He asks you to call the police and report Steve.As a school counselor what would you do? What are the ethical issues and considerations in this case? |
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