Frederick Community College

HS 204 – Ethics and Practice Issues in the Human Services (Online)

Spring 2012

 

Instructor Information:

Name: Brenda Schildknecht-Hargett

Office:   No Office on Campus

E-mail: BSHargett@frederick.edu

 

Phone Number: 301-846-2507

Brenda Ferko: Administrative Asst for

Department of Social Sciences

 

Office Hours: Please use FCC Email as

Primary Contact

Campus Mail Box Number: 1012

 

Course Information:

Credits:  1

Last Day to Drop: April 16, 2012

Prerequisites:  HS 203

Co-requisites: INTR 102 or work in field

Meeting Day(s): NA

Meeting Time(s): NA

 

Course Description:

Integrates a study of ethical and practice issues in the human service field with the student’s experience in the cooperative education practicum. 

 

Core Learning Outcomes:

By the completion of the course students will:

1.     Describe the Federal, State, agency, and professional code of ethics governing his or her work;

2.     Describe the client rights and responsibilities;

3.     Demonstrate understanding of professional standards and scope of practice;

4.     Discuss boundary issues between client and counselor;

5.     Differentiate the role of the professional counselor and a peer counselor or sponsor;

6.     Demonstrate beginning skills in critical writing;

7.     Identify appropriate referral sources for the agency in which the student works;

8.     Develop several case presentations;

9.     Describe the degrees/certification in the human service profession

 

Instructional Methods: 

1.     Papers

2.     Class discussions

3.     Case Studies

 

Text for Course:

Corey, G. et al, Issues and Ethics in the Helping Professions, 8th edition.

 

 

Evaluation Methods: 

Tests / Papers / Projects

Point Value

Final Grade Scale

 

Ethics paper (2-3 pages)

 

50 points

50

Five case studies

 

     50 points each

                        250

Self-Reflection paper

 

50 points

50

Discussions (15 total) Each week a discussion question will be posted.  You are expected to post an original response and respond to at least one other student.

 

15 & 10 points each

                       150

 

 

Total Points =  500 points

 

 

Progress Report:  

Students will receive feedback on work and upon request.

 

Attendance Policy:  

The course level class participation policy is designed to support the learning process.

To maintain the highest quality of academic work, the course level class participation policy encourages and expects the student to participate fully in all course activities.

In case of serious illness, emergency, religious holidays, or participation in official college functions, students remain responsible for completing the requirements of the course.

 

 

Disability Services

FCC provides reasonable accommodations to otherwise qualified students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and amendments.  Students with disabilities who are in need of accommodations must contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) office at 301-846-2408 (A Building, Room 106A) in order to request and apply for services.  The SSD office will require appropriate documentation of a disability.  Questions related to accommodations or services can be directed to the SSD office.  Additional information related to services can be viewed at the following FCC web page:  http://www.frederick.edu/student_services/disability.aspx.  
If you currently receive services from the SSD office, please submit your Student Success Plan to me and make an appointment with me to discuss your accommodations and needs in class.  I will hold any information you share with me in strict confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

 

TOPICAL OUTLINE

Week

Subject

Content

 

1

 

An Introduction to Professional Ethics

 

 

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 1

Self Assessment (pp. 25-32)

Discussion Question

 

2

 

 

Code of Ethics

 

Compare ethical codes of various professional organizations (APA, ACA, AA)

Discussion Question

 

 

3

 

The Counselor as a Person and a Professional

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 2

Discussion Question

Case Study #1

 

 

4

 

Values and Helping Relationship

 

 

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 3

Discussion Question

Ethics paper Due

 

5

 

Multicultural Perspectives & Diversity Issues

 

 

Reading:  Corey Chapter 4

Discussion Question

Case Study #2

 

6

 

Client Rights and Responsibilities

 

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 5

Discussion Question

 

7

 

Confidentiality: Ethical & Legal Issues

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 6

Discussion Question

Case Study #3

 

 

8

 

Managing Boundaries and Multiple Relationships

 

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 7

Discussion Question

Case Study #4

 

 

9

 

Professional Competence & Training

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 8

Discussion Question

 

 

10

 

Issues in Supervision and Consultation

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 9

Discussion Question

 

11

 

Issues in Theory and Practice

 

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 10

Discussion Question

 

12

 

Ethical Issues in Couples and Family Therapy

 

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 11

Discussion Question

 

13

 

Ethical Issues in Group Work

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 12

Discussion Question

Case Study #5

 

14

 

Ethical Issues in Community Work

 

Reading:  Corey, Chapter 13

Discussion Question

 

15

 

Overview

 

Discussion Question

Self-Reflection Paper Due

 

 

 

 

Details of Assignments:

 

 

Ethics Paper:  After reading the ethical guidelines and Chapters 1 - 3 and the professional guidelines governing your agency, study the way those ethical guidelines are implemented in the agency in which you are either an intern or employee.  Write a 2-3 page paper on the guidelines for work in an agency like the one where you are doing your internship experience and then describe how those guidelines are actually implemented within the agency. This assignment is worth 50 points.

 

Case Studies:  Select a model of ethical decision making and present the case with support from the model.  These five case presentations are each worth 50 points each.  There will also be case studies as part of class discussion which is included in the activity grade.

 

Discussions:  Case studies, presentations and activities assigned weekly to be discussed in the discussion board. There will be 15 assignments at 10 points each.

 

Self-Reflection Paper:  At the end of the course, prepare a 2-3 page paper that is a reflection of your own skills for human service work.  What strengths do you have as a human service worker?  What areas will need particular work?  What is your education and career plan?  How does that fit into the specialties within the field and the licensing/credentialing in the field? Where will you go from here?

How has the discussion of the ethical issues in this course impacted your work?  Paper is worth 50 points.

 

Grades: Grades will be determined by a point system as follows:

 

A = 450 - 500 points

B = 400 - 449

C = 350 - 399

D = 300 - 349

F = below 300

I = in accordance with FCC policy