Ethics

Professional counselors and professional counseling graduate students are expected to practice within the parameters of the ACA Code of Ethics, in addition to state and federal law.  And those who belong to the Pennsylvania Counseling Association and/or its parent association, the American Counseling Association (ACA), are actually required to adhere to this code.  (In order to view the ethics code, you'll need to use the [free]    document reader.)

The PCA recommends that all practicing professional counselors, including professional counseling graduate students who are practicing as interns, be insured for professional liability.  This will protect you in the event of an ethics violation charge, not to mention any legal action.  One option is the competitive malpractice insurance plan offered by the ACA Insurance Trust, an affiliate of the ACA.

For general ethics-related questions, confidential consultations on ethical dilemmas, and inquiries about how to file an ethics complaint with the ACA and relevant credentialing boards, please contact PCA Ethics/By-Laws Committee chair listed on the PCA Contact Page