Question: Researching and Integrating State Laws and Ethical Codes

It is vital for professional counselors to research and integrate specific state laws and ethical codes into professional practice. This assignment draws upon two key areas where researching current ethical standards and state laws guide ethical decisions and the credentialing process.

Part 1: Use the presentation, Locating and Integrating State Laws and Ethical Codes, in this unit's study and linked in the Resources, to apply your knowledge of laws and ethical codes to particular issues.

Select two (2) issues from the presentation that may arise in the type of setting in which you will be working. Foreach selected issue, complete the following:

1. Identify at least one specific state law and one specific ethical standard relevant to each issue. In other words, list the code number for the applicable laws and the ethical standards. For example, if the case involves supervision of a counselor, reference the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 4757-17-01 "Counseling supervision", and the ACA (2014) code F.2.a. "Supervisor Preparation".

2. Write a description of why these laws and standards are applicable to the issue, considering how the specific laws and codes inform responsible counseling practice.

3. What are the specific decisions, actions, or steps you would take in order to act in a legal, ethical, and professional manner?

Part 2: Locate the relevant state laws or code for your specialization (Mental Health or School Counseling) and review course readings to address the following:

1. Explain the importance of professional credentials (licensure or certification) to professional counselors and the profession of counseling.

2. Explain how professional credentials (licensure or certification) are a matter of public policy important to protect the citizens of the state.

3. Cite peer-reviewed scholarly articles to support your explanation. (See list of optional articles in the course syllabus).

Submission Requirements

Your paper should meet the following requirements:

1. Written communication: Develop accurate written communication and thoughts that convey the overall goals of the assignment and do not detract from the overall message. Your paper should demonstrate graduate-level writing skills.

2. References: Your reference list must include:

• The 2014 ACA Code of Ethics and another relevant set of standards (ASCA, AMHCA, or NBCC).

• An APA-formatted link to your state's rules and laws.

• Distinguished submissions will likely exceed these minimum requirements.

• Current APA style and format for your references. Refer to the APA Style and Format link in the Resources for more information.

2. Number of pages: 4-5 double-spaced pages. Note: Page count does not include cover page or references.

3. Formatting: Use 12-pt, Times New Roman font; MS Word documents only.

4. APA style and formatting: Use current APA style and formatting, including correct in-text citations, proper punctuation, double-spacing throughout, proper headings and subheadings, no skipped lines before headings and subheadings, proper paragraph and block indentation, no bolding, and no bullets. Refer to APA Style and Format for more information.

You are required to submit your final version of this paper to Turnitin to generate a final report prior to submitting the assignment for grading. From the Turnitin tool, first submit to the draft link to check your work for any necessary edits. Once the paper is finalized and all edits have been made, submit your final paper to the Final report option for the assignment. Please be advised it can take up to a day to obtain the percentage from Turnitin. When your paper is downloaded and viewable in Turnitin, save the originality report. Refer to the Turnitin.com Tutorial: Viewing Originality Reports (linked in the assignment Resources) for guidance.

1. Submit your assignment using the following file naming format: Your Name_AssignmentNumber_Assignment Title (example: Ima_Learner_u03a1_StateLawsEthics).

2. In the comment section, provide the percentage from the final Turnitin report (example: Final Turnitin percentage = 4%). Please be prepared to provide your faculty member with a copy of the Turnitin report should this be requested of you.

Resources: • Researching and Integrating State Laws and Ethical Codes Scoring Guide.

• How Do I Find Peer-Reviewed Articles?.

• Select the Best Databases.

• Ethics, Standards, and Legal Information in School Counseling.

• Ethics and Standards for Professional Practice in Counseling.

• Locating and Integrating State Laws and Ethical Codes | Transcript.

• Turnitin.

• Selecting the Best Keywords.

• APA Style and Format.

• Unit 3 Paper Template [DOC].