Like many professions, the profession of Social Work is bound by a code of ethics. However, unlike many professions, the field of Social Work is built upon a core group of values. These values should always be considered and remembered by any professional in this field.
Modern social workers first are shaped through their formal education following the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) standards, they are then bound by the National Association of Social Work (NASW) code of ethics, and finally they are mandated to follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability of Act (HIPAA) guidelines in practice.
Guiding ethics, values, and guidelines for social workers The NASW Code of Ethics is the single most important and inclusive …show more content…
It is important to note that social workers are also responsible for maintaining cultural competence and valuing social diversity. This again goes hand in hand with dignity and worth of the person. It would be exceedingly difficult to work successfully as a social worker if one does not value and respect diversity in every form. Ensuring confidentiality is another critically important facet of social work. Social workers are obligated to ensure the confidentiality of clients and of their colleagues. Confidentiality is so important to the practice of social work that it is deeply embedded not just in the NASW Code of Ethics, but also in HIPAA guidelines, which social workers must adhere to in practice. HIPAA standards are relevant to social work in that they apply to privacy of patient information. Because so many social workers practice in the field of mental health, many of the clients they work for are protected under HIPAA standards (Myers, 2008). In fact, the HIPAA regulations have a relatively loose definition of those protected under HIPAA, so it is imperative that any practitioner examines their position, the services they are offering, and their clients to understand if HIPAA applies to their work. These HIPAA standards and the extent to which they protect the privacy of patients reinforces the fact that confidentiality is a key ethical standard in social work. Protecting confidentiality can help guarantee that client’s have the right to self determination and it can work to maintain their
Modern social workers first are shaped through their formal education following the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) standards, they are then bound by the National Association of Social Work (NASW) code of ethics, and finally they are mandated to follow the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability of Act (HIPAA) guidelines in practice.
Guiding ethics, values, and guidelines for social workers The NASW Code of Ethics is the single most important and inclusive …show more content…
It is important to note that social workers are also responsible for maintaining cultural competence and valuing social diversity. This again goes hand in hand with dignity and worth of the person. It would be exceedingly difficult to work successfully as a social worker if one does not value and respect diversity in every form. Ensuring confidentiality is another critically important facet of social work. Social workers are obligated to ensure the confidentiality of clients and of their colleagues. Confidentiality is so important to the practice of social work that it is deeply embedded not just in the NASW Code of Ethics, but also in HIPAA guidelines, which social workers must adhere to in practice. HIPAA standards are relevant to social work in that they apply to privacy of patient information. Because so many social workers practice in the field of mental health, many of the clients they work for are protected under HIPAA standards (Myers, 2008). In fact, the HIPAA regulations have a relatively loose definition of those protected under HIPAA, so it is imperative that any practitioner examines their position, the services they are offering, and their clients to understand if HIPAA applies to their work. These HIPAA standards and the extent to which they protect the privacy of patients reinforces the fact that confidentiality is a key ethical standard in social work. Protecting confidentiality can help guarantee that client’s have the right to self determination and it can work to maintain their