1. ACA Code, Section B2 relevance to case scenario.
For this case scenario, a college intern in addiction counseling is presented with a client who reports excessive drinking and self-destructive behaviors. The client reports being HIV positive with the intent to continue with unprotected sex acts. These acts will include her husband (Mike) and a bartender (Jim) at a specific restaurant.
For this case the counselor is faced with the ethical dilemma related to client rights to confidentiality, privileged communication, and privacy versus exceptions of danger and legal requirements. In this situation, section B.2. Exceptions, takes precedence over other sections of the ethical code.
Section B.2.a. Danger and Legal Requirements, under B.2. Exceptions, of the ACA Code of Ethics states that the demand that counselors must "keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is required to protect clients or identified others from serious and foreseeable harm or when legal requirements demand that confidential information must be revealed" (ACA, 2005). In this case the client reports that she intends to place her husband Mike and the bartender, Jim in danger or foreseeable harm by having unprotected sex with them. Both Mike and Jim are clearly identified, as is the danger they face, due to client's intent to expose them to HIV infection.
Also relevant to this case is B.1. of the ACA Code of Ethics, Respecting Client Rights. Under this section, B.1.d. Explanation of Limitations clearly states that the counselor must inform the client of the limitations of confidentiality, throughout the counseling process. The counselor must identify foreseeable situations where confidentiality must be breached. Thus the counselor in this case must inform the client of the danger to Mike and Jim and the intent to warn these individuals of imminent danger. Since it is likely that the counselor will need to inform the parties i...