Ethical Standards for Addiction Professionals

Ethical standards are rules and guidelines for the behavior of professionals in the performance of their duties. Most behavioral health care professionals (addiction professionals, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, social workers, [Page 368]and psychologists) have ethical standards as a part of their professional organizations. Knowledge of and adherence to these standards are usually requirements for certification or licensure by a state or by a national organization. For addiction professionals, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, is the primary national professional organization for the field, and the organization has a code of ethics for members. However, addiction professionals who have certification or licensure in another discipline (e.g., social work, marriage and family therapy, professional counseling) may also be required to adhere to the ethical guidelines ...