Professional Associations and State Government Agencies
Addressing Potential conflicts in jurisdictional authority of APA, State Bodies & Other Authorities
Identification of Potential conflicts in jurisdictional authority of APA, State Bodies & Other Authorities
Management of Complaints by State Bodies & Other Agencies
Relationship between APA, ASPPB & NRHSPP
Practicing psychology in United States is governed by the various authorities. The eminent authorities providing code of conduct for the psychology professionals are State laws, American Psychological Association, State boards of psychology, Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) and National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology (NRHSPP). Where these bodies have a general purpose of facilitating the psychology professionals and enhancing the standards of their service, there are instances where their respective codes of conducts are at conflict. It is up to the professionals to ensure that these conflicts are identified a resolved in the most suitable manner and also that they are aware of the jurisdiction of these bodies and the priority status that they have over one another.
Addressing Potential conflicts in jurisdictional authority of APA, State Bodies & Other Authorities
APA Code of conduct has been addressing the areas that are related to resolution of conflicts that may arise within the psychotherapy relationship or professional work place since its inception. There have been various amendments made in the Code of Ethics of APA since 1953. The possible reasons for such amendment is a clear distinction that exists in the priority levels of ethics defined by governing bodies and by the jurisdiction of the state. In every field of legal system, it is stated that mere ignorance to law is no excuse in case of failure of compliance.
This is the reason why APA also supports the promulgation of law. As per the amendment made in 2002 in APA Code of ethics, if the psychologist faces a conflict between the between state laws, APA Ethical Principles for Psychologists and Code of Conduct, rules promulgated by the state psychology board, and his personal values, assuming that the ethics code levied by APA provides a higher ethical standard to maintain, the psychologist is expected to commit to Code of Ethics and must make this commitment known to the governing bodies (which can be the management of the employer or any other state body). All the necessary measures must be taken to reduce this conflict however in case this resolution is impossible to obtain, the psychologist is expected to demonstrate adherence to the judiciary, prevailing legal system or other regulations provided by the governing body ensuring that the human rights are not violated (APA, 2002).
Where the older amendments clearly define that the legal system and other governing bodies have a prior status in case of conflict appearance, the amendment made in 2010 have made the mode of conflict resolution even more clear. This amendment has been made in the light of circumstances arose in the Bush Administration in the interrogation methodologies. The earlier version of 2002 defined that the legal system provisions and the policies of the governing authority (which includes the organizational policies as well) will prevail if conflict arises and is beyond resolution. Such language is now deleted without any reference to the priority status given and a single sentence is added, "Under no circumstances may this standard be used to justify or defend violating human rights (APA, 2010)."
Hence, now the priority is not given to body but to the defense of human rights instead of policies and procedures.
Identification of Potential conflicts in jurisdictional authority of APA, State Bodies & Other Authorities
Where APA Code of Conduct has been designed, amended and redrafted time and again, to bring it in accordance with general law which is uniform globally, there are various state laws which have a conflicting nature when it comes to comparison between the validity of APA Code of conduct or the prevailing legislations and policies of the governing body. One of the major areas which show a conflict between APA and state law is the expression and testimony required from the psychologist.
It is generally evident that APA Code of ethics puts special emphasis on maintaining clients' confidentiality. For this purpose, the psychologist or the counselor is required to maintain the necessary measures required for this purpose and is expected to take considerable care for avoiding unauthorized use. In an extreme case, there are also legislations present which further enhance this ethical standard described by APA. However, there are instances when the state law requires the psychologist to act in the opposite...
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