Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors are typically paid the workers’ compensation insurer or the employer of injury. The Labor Market Surveys counselors generate are used to reduce the amount of money that the employer of injury and its insurer are obligated to pay injured workers. Yes, the insurance companies use vocational counselors primarily to reduce injured workers’ benefits.
However, the Louisiana licensed vocational rehabilitation counselor’s Code of Ethics says that the counselor’s primary obligation is to individuals with disabilities who are receiving services from licensed rehabilitation counselors.
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors are not immune from professional tort liability under the Louisiana Workers Compensation Act provided the injured worker complies with administrative remedies set forth in LA-RS 23:1226. See, Brown v. Adair; 2002-2028 (La. 04/09/03),846 So.2d 687 and LA-RS 23:1226.
The Code of Ethics makes for an interesting read. See it below in its entirety.
Code of Professional Ethics for Licensed Rehabilitation Counselors
PREAMBLE
Licensed rehabilitation counselors are committed to facilitating the personal, social, and economic independence of individuals with disabilities. In fulfilling this commitment, licensed rehabilitation counselors work with various people, programs, institutions, and service delivery systems. Licensed rehabilitation counselors recognize that their actions (or inaction) can either aid or hinder clients in achieving their rehabilitation objectives, and they accept this responsibility as part of their professional obligations. Licensed rehabilitation counselors may be called upon to provide various kinds of assistance including: counseling; vocational explorations; vocational assessment and testing; evaluations of social, medical, vocational, and psychiatric information; job placement and job development activities; forensic assessments; and other types of rehabilitation services. They are required to do so in a manner that is consistent with their education and experience. Moreover, licensed rehabilitation counselors must demonstrate their adherence to ethical standards and ensure that the standards are vigorously enforced. The Code of Professional Ethics for Licensed Rehabilitation Counselors (henceforth referred to as the Code) is designated to facilitate the achievement of these goals.
The primary obligation of licensed rehabilitation counselors is to their clients (defined in the Code as individuals with disabilities who are receiving services from licensed rehabilitation counselors). The objective of the Code is to promote public welfare by specifying and enforcing ethical standards of behavior expected of licensed rehabilitation counselors. Accordingly, the Code contains two kinds of standards: Canons and Rules of Professional Conduct.
The Canons are general standards of an aspirational and inspirational nature that reflect the fundamental spirit of caring and respect which professionals share. They are maxims designed to serve as models of exemplary professional conduct. The Canons also express general concepts and principles from which the more specific Rules are derived. Unlike the Canons, the Rules are exacting standards intended to provide guidance in specific circumstances.
Licensed rehabilitation counselors who violate the Code are subject to disciplinary action. A violation of a Rule is interpreted as a violation of the applicable Canon and the general principles it embodies. Since the use of Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor (LRC) designation is a privilege granted by the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners (LLPVRC), the Board reserves unto itself the power to suspend or revoke this privilege or to impose other penalties for a Rule violation. Disciplinary penalties are imposed as warranted by the severity of the offense and its attendant circumstances. All disciplinary actions are undertaken in accordance with published procedures and penalties that are designed to ensure proper enforcement of the Code within a framework of due process and equal protection under the law.
When there is reason to question the ethical propriety of specific behavior, individuals are encouraged to refrain from such behavior until the matter has been clarified. LRCs who need assistance in interpreting the Code should write to the Board to request an advisory opinion.
CANON 1: MORAL AND LEGAL STANDARDS
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall behave in a legal, ethical, and moral manner in the conduct of their profession, maintaining the integrity of the Code and avoiding any behavior that would cause harm to others.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R1.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will obey the laws and statutes of the legal jurisdiction in which they practice.
R1.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be thoroughly familiar with and observe the legal limitations of the services they offer to clients. They will discuss these limitations as well as all benefits available to the clients they serve in order to facilitate open, honest communications and avoid unrealistic expectations.
R1.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be alert to the legal parameters relevant to their practices as well as to any disparities that may exist between legally mandated ethical and professional standards and the Code. Where disparities exist, licensed rehabilitation counselors will follow the legal mandates and formally communicate such disparities to the Ethics Committee. In the absence of legal guidelines, the Code is binding.
R1.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not engage in any act or omission of a dishonest, deceitful, or fraudulent nature in the conduct of their professional activities. They will not allow the pursuit of financial gain or other personal benefits to interfere with the exercise of sound professional judgment and skills, nor will they abuse the relationship with a client to promote their personal or financial gain or the financial gain of an employer.
R1.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will understand and abide by the Canons and Rules of Professional Conduct prescribed in the Code.
R1.6 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not advocate, sanction, participate in, cause to be accomplished, carry out through another or condone any act which they themselves are prohibited from performing by the Code.
R1.7 Moral and ethical standards of behavior are a personal matter for licensed rehabilitation counselors to the same degree as they are for any other citizen, except as such standards may compromise the fulfillment of the individual’s professional responsibilities or reduce public trust in licensed rehabilitation counselors.
R1.8 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will respect the rights and reputation of any institution, organization or firm with which they are associated when making oral or written statements. In those instances where they are critical of policies, they will attempt to effect change through constructive action within the organization.
R1.9 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will refuse to participate in employment practices that are inconsistent with the moral or legal standards regarding the treatment of employees or the public. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not condone practices that result in illegal or otherwise unjustifiable discrimination on any basis in hiring, promotion or training.
CANON 2: CLIENT-COUNSELOR RELATIONSHIP
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall respect the integrity and protect the welfare of the people and groups with whom they work. The primary obligation of licensed rehabilitation counselors is to their clients (defined as individuals with disabilities who are receiving services from licensed rehabilitation counselors). At all times, licensed rehabilitation counselors shall endeavor to place their clients’ interests above their own.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R2.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will clearly communicate to clients the purposes and goals of rehabilitation counseling, and any limitation that may affect the counseling relationship.
R2.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not misrepresent their role or competence to clients. If requested, they will provide information about their credentials, and will refer clients to other specialists as the needs of the clients dictate.
R2.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be continually cognizant of their own needs and values as well as of their potential influence over clients, students, and subordinates. They will avoid exploiting the trust or dependency of such persons. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will make every effort to avoid dual relationships that could impair their professional judgment or increase the risk of exploitation. Examples of dual relationships include, but are not limited to research with and treatment of employees, students, supervisors, close friends, or relatives. Sexual intimacy with clients is unethical.
R2.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not knowingly engage in behavior that is harassing or demeaning to persons with whom they interact in their work based on factors such as those persons’ age, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, or socioeconomic status.
R2.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who provide services at the request of a third party will clarify the nature of their relationships to all rightful, legal parties and to all members of the treatment team. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will inform all parties of their ethical responsibilities and take needed actions to assure that all parties understand their ethical responsibilities. Licensed rehabilitation counselors who are employed by third parties as case consultants or expert witnesses, where there is not intent to provide rehabilitation counseling services directly to clients (beyond file review, initial interview and/or assessment) will clearly define, through written or oral means, the limits of their relationship (particularly in the areas of informed consent and confidentiality) to all rightful, legal parties and to all members of the treatment team. When serving as case consultants or expert witnesses, licensed rehabilitation counselors shall provide unbiased, objective opinions.
R2.6 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will honor the rights of clients to consent to participate and the right to make decisions with regard to rehabilitation services. They will inform the clients or their legal representative, using language that is reasonably understandable to the client and/or legal representative, of factors that may affect the clients’ decision to take part in rehabilitation services, and they will obtain written consents once the clients or their legal representatives are fully informed of these factors. Licensed rehabilitation counselors who work with minors or other persons who are unable to give informed, voluntary consent will take special care to protect the interests of their clients.
R2.7 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will avoid initiating or continuing consulting or counseling relationships if it appears there can be no benefit to the client; in these cases, the licensed rehabilitation counselor will suggest appropriate alternatives to the client.
R2.8 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will recognize that families are usually an important factor in the clients’ rehabilitation and will strive to enlist their understanding and involvement as a positive resource in achieving rehabilitation goals. The client’s permission will be secured prior to any family involvement.
R2.9 Licensed rehabilitation counselors and their clients will work together to devise an integrated, individualized rehabilitation plan that promises reasonable success and is consistent with each client’s circumstances and abilities. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will continually monitor such plans to ensure their ongoing viability and effectiveness, remembering that clients have the right to make their own choices.
R2.10 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will work with their clients in evaluating potential employment opportunities, considering only those jobs and circumstances that are consistent with the client’s overall abilities, vocational limitations, physical and mental restrictions, general temperament, interests and aptitude patterns, social skills, education, general qualifications, and other relevant characteristics and needs. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will neither place not participate in the placing of clients in positions that could damage the interests and welfare of either the client or the employer.
2 CANON 3: CLIENT ADVOCACY
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall serve as advocates for individuals with disabilities.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R3.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be obligated at all times to promote better access for individuals with disabilities for facilities, programs, transportation, and communication, so that clients will not be excluded from opportunities to participate fully in rehabilitation, education, and society.
R3.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will ensure that programs, facilities, and employment settings are appropriately accessible before referring clients to them.
R3.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will strive to understand the accessibility problems individuals with cognitive, hearing, mobility, visual and/or other disabilities face, and to demonstrate this understanding in the practice of their profession.
R3.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will strive to eliminate attitudinal barriers, including stereotyping and discrimination, toward individuals with disabilities and to increase their own awareness and sensitivity to such individuals.
R3.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will remain aware of the actions taken by cooperating agencies on behalf of their clients and will act as the advocates of such clients to ensure effective service delivery.
CANON 4: PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall act with integrity in their relationships with colleagues, organizations, agencies, institutions, referral sources, and other professions in order to provide clients with optimum benefits.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R4.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will ensure that there is a mutual understanding of the rehabilitation plan by all involved in the rehabilitation of clients and that all rehabilitation plans are developed with such mutual understanding.
R4.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will abide by and help to implement “team” decisions when formulating rehabilitation plans and procedures, even if not in personal agreement with such decisions, unless they constitute a breach of ethical conduct.
R4.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not commit receiving counselors to any prescribed course of action in relation to clients they may transfer to other colleagues or agencies.
R4.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will promptly supply all information needed for a cooperating agency or counselor to begin serving a client.
R4.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not offer ongoing professional rehabilitation counseling or case management services to clients who are receiving such services from another rehabilitation counselor without first notifying that individual. File reviews and second-opinion services are not included in the concept of professional rehabilitation counseling and case management services and do not require prior notification.
R4.6 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will secure appropriate reports and evaluations from other specialists when such reports may affect rehabilitation planning and/or service delivery.
R4.7 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not discuss the competency of other rehabilitation counselors or agencies (including the judgments made, methods used or quality of rehabilitation plans) in a disparaging way with their clients.
R4.8 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not use their professional relationships with supervisors, colleagues, students or employees to exploit them sexually or otherwise. Neither will they engage in or condone sexual harassment (defined as deliberate or repeated comments, gestures or physical contacts of a sexual nature that are unwanted by the recipients).
R4.9 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who know of an ethics violation by another rehabilitation counselor will attempt to resolve the issue informally with that person provided the misconduct is minor in nature and/or appears to be due to a lack of sensitivity, knowledge, or experience. If the violation is more serious or not amenable to an informal resolution, the rehabilitation counselor will bring it to the attention of the appropriate committee on professional ethics of any professional organization or credentialing body with which the rehabilitation counselor is affiliated.
R4.10 Licensed rehabilitation counselors possessing information of an alleged violation of this Code will reveal such information to the Board or another authority empowered to investigate or act upon the alleged violation, if requested to do so, unless and only to the extent that the information is protected by law.
R4.11 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who employ or supervise students or other professionals will provide appropriate working conditions, timely evaluations, constructive consultations, and suitable experience opportunities to facilitate the professional development of these individuals.
CANON 5: PUBLIC STATEMENT/FEES
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall adhere to professional standards in establishing fees and promoting their services.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R5.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will consider carefully the value of their services and the financial resources of their clients in order to establish reasonable fees for their professional services.
R5.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not accept a fee or any other form of remuneration for their work from clients who are entitled to their services through an institution, agency, or other benefit structure, unless rehabilitation counselors fully inform clients of the availability of services from such other services.
R5.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will neither give nor receive commissions, rebates or any other form of remuneration when referring clients for professional services.
R5.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who describe the rehabilitation counseling and other services offered to the public will present such information fairly and accurately, avoiding misrepresentation through sensationalism, exaggeration, or superficiality. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be guided by their primary obligation to aid the public in forming valid opinions and making informed choices and judgments.
CANON 6: CONFIDENTIALITY
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall respect the confidentiality of information obtained from clients in the course of their work.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R6.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will inform clients of the limits of confidentiality at the onset of the rehabilitation counseling relationship.
R6.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will take reasonable direct action, inform responsible authorities or warn those persons at risk if the condition or actions of a client indicate there is a clear and imminent danger to the client or others; rehabilitation counselors will take such actions only after advising the client of what must be done. Consultations with other professionals should be used in order to clarify a reasonable course of action. If actions are taken that result in diminished autonomy for a client, they must be taken only after careful deliberation, and clients must be permitted to resume autonomous responsibility as quickly as possible.
R6.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not forward any confidential information to another person, agency, or potential employer without the written permission of the client or the client’s legal representative.
R6.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will ascertain that the agencies which cooperate in serving their clients have specific policies and practices in place to protect client confidentiality.
R6.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will safeguard the maintenance, storage, and disposal of client records so unauthorized persons cannot gain access to them. Any nonprofessional who must be given access to a client’s records will be thoroughly instructed by the licensed rehabilitation counselor about the confidentiality standards to be observed.
R6.6 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will maintain and dispose of records in accordance with law and in a manner that permits compliance with the requirements of this Code.
R6.7 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will present only germane data in preparing oral and written reports, and will make every effort to avoid undue invasions of privacy.
R6.8 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will obtain written permission from clients or their legal representatives prior to taping or otherwise recording counseling sessions. Even if a legal representative’s consent is obtained, rehabilitation counselors will not record sessions against the expressed wishes of their client.
R6.9 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will provide only relevant information about clients seeking jobs to prospective employers. Before releasing any information that might be considered confidential, the rehabilitation counselor will secure the permission of the client or legal representative.
CANON 7: ASSESSMENT
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall promote the welfare of clients in the selection, use, and interpretation of assessment measures.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R7.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will recognize that different tests require different levels of competence to administer, score, and interpret; they will also recognize the limits of their professional competence and will perform only those functions for which they are trained.
R7.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will carefully consider the specific validity, reliability, and appropriateness of tests when selecting them for use in a given situation or for particular clients. They will proceed with caution in attempting to evaluate and interpret the performance of individuals with disabilities, members of minority groups, or persons who are not represented in standardized norms. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will take into consideration the effects of socioeconomic, ethnic, disability, and cultural factors on test scores.
R7.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will administer tests under the conditions established when the tests were standardized. When non-standard conditions are required to accommodate clients with disabilities, or when unusual behaviors or irregularities occur during the testing session, those circumstances will be noted and taken into account when interpreting the test results.
R7.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will ensure that instrument limitations are not exceeded, and that periodic assessments are made to prevent client stereotyping.
R7.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will inform clients, using language that is reasonably understandable to the client, of the purpose of any testing and the explicit use of the results before administration.
R7.6 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will ensure that an explanation of the test results is provided using language that is reasonably understandable to the person assessed or to another legally authorized person on behalf of the client, unless the nature of the relationship is clearly explained to the client in advance and precludes provision of an explanation of results (such as in some organizational consulting, pre-employment screenings, and forensic evaluations). Regardless of whether the scoring and interpretation are done by the rehabilitation counselor, by assistants, or by automated or other outside services, licensed rehabilitation counselors will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate explanations of results are given.
R7.7 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will attempt to ensure that the interpretations produced by automated assessment programs or procedures have been validated through appropriate research. Public offerings of automated test interpretation services will be considered as professional-to-professional consultations. In these instances, the formal responsibility of the consultant is to the consultee, but the ultimate and overriding responsibility is to the client.
R7.8 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will recognize that assessment results may become outdated and will make every effort to avoid the use of obsolete measures. They will not base their assessment decisions or recommendations on data or test results that are outdated for the current purpose.
R7.9 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will refrain from misuse of assessment techniques, results, and interpretations and take reasonable steps to prevent others from misusing the information these techniques provide. This includes refraining from releasing raw test results or raw data to persons who are not qualified to use such information.
R7.10 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will make reasonable efforts to maintain the integrity and security of tests and other assessment techniques consistent with law, contractual obligations, and in a manner that permits compliance with the requirements of this Code.
CANON 8: RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall assist in efforts to expand the knowledge needed to serve individuals with disabilities more effectively.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R8.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will ensure that research data meet rigid standards of validity, accuracy, and protection of confidentiality.
R8.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be aware of and responsive to all pertinent ethical, legal, and scientific guidelines on research with human subjects. When planning such research, rehabilitation counselors will ensure that the project, design, execution, and reporting are in full compliance with such guidelines.
R.8.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who present case studies in classes, professional meetings, or publications will confine the content to information that can be sufficiently disguised to ensure full protection of client identity.
R8.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will credit those who contribute to publications in proportion to the size of their contribution.
R8.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors recognize that openness and honesty are essential to relationships between rehabilitation counselors and research participants. When a study’s methodology requires concealment or deception, the rehabilitation counselor will ensure that participants understand the reasons for such actions.
CANON 9: FORENSIC ACTIVITIES
Licensed rehabilitation counselors who perform forensic functions, such as assessments, interviews, consultations, reports, or expert testimony, must comply with all other provisions of this Code to the extent that they apply to such activities. Licensed rehabilitation counselors base their forensic work on appropriate knowledge of and competence in the areas underlying such work, including specialized knowledge concerning special populations.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R9.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors forensic assessments, recommendations, and reports will be based on information and techniques (including personal interviews of the individual, when appropriate) sufficient to provide appropriate substantiation for their findings.
R9.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will provide written or oral forensic reports or testimony of the vocational rehabilitation characteristics of an individual only after they have conducted an assessment of the individual adequate to support their statements or conclusions, except as noted in R9.3.
R9.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will clarify the impact of their limited information on the reliability and validity of their reports and testimony, and they will appropriately limit the nature and extent of their conclusions or recommendations, when, despite reasonable efforts, an individual assessment is not feasible.
R9.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors in most circumstances, will avoid performing multiple and potentially conflicting roles in forensic matters. When rehabilitation counselors may be called on to serve in more than one role in a legal proceeding – for example, as a case consultant or expert witness for one party or for the court and as a fact witness – they will clarify role expectations and the extent of confidentiality in advance to the extent feasible, and thereafter as changes occur, in order to avoid compromising their professional judgment and objectivity and in order to avoid misleading others regarding their role.
R9.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will testify truthfully, honestly, candidly, and consistent with applicable legal procedures, describe fairly the bases for their testimony and conclusions in forensic testimony and reports. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will acknowledge the limits of their data or conclusions whenever necessary to avoid misleading.
R9.6 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not be precluded by a prior professional relationship with a party from testifying as a fact witness or from testifying to their services to the extent permitted by applicable law. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will take into account ways in which the prior relationship might affect their professional objectivity or opinions and disclose the potential conflict to the relevant parties.
R9.7 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be reasonably familiar with the Rules governing their roles in performing forensic activities. Licensed rehabilitation counselors will be aware of the occasionally competing demands placed upon them by these Rules and the requirements of the court system, and will attempt to resolve these conflicts by making known their commitment to this Code and taking steps to resolve the conflict in a responsible manner.
CANON 10: COMPETENCE
Licensed rehabilitation counselors shall establish and maintain their professional competence at a level which ensures their clients will receive the benefit of the highest quality of service the profession is capable of offering.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R10.1 Licensed professional counselors will function within the limits of their defined role, training, and technical competency, accepting only those positions for which they are professionally qualified. They will provide services, teach, or conduct research in new areas or involving new techniques only after first undertaking appropriate study, training, supervision, and/or consultation from persons who are competent in those areas or techniques.
R10.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will continuously strive, through reading, attending professional meetings, and taking courses of instruction, to remain aware of developments, concepts, and practices that are essential in providing the highest quality of services to their clients.
R10.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors, recognizing that personal problems may interfere with their professional effectiveness, will refrain from undertaking any activity in which such problems could lead to inadequate performance. If they are already engaged in such a situation when they become aware of a problem, they will seek competent professional assistance to determine if they should limit, suspend, or terminate their professional activities.
R10.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who are educators will perform their duties based on careful preparation so that their instruction is accurate, up-to-date, and scholarly.
R10.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who are educators will ensure that statements made in catalogs and course outlines are accurate, particularly in terms of subject matter, basis for grading, and teaching methods.
R10.6 Licensed rehabilitation counselors who are educators will maintain high standards of knowledge and skill by presenting information in their field fully and accurately, and by giving appropriate recognition to alternative viewpoints.
CANON 11: LRC CREDENTIAL
Rehabilitation counselors holding the designation of Licensed Rehabilitation Counselor (LRC) shall honor its integrity and respect the limitations placed on its use.
Rules of Professional Conduct
R11.1 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will use the LRC designation only in accordance with state statutory regulation as promulgated by the Louisiana Licensed Professional Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors Board of Examiners (LLPVRC).
R11.2 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not claim a depth or scope of knowledge, skills, or professional capabilities that are greater than warranted simply because they achieved the LRC designation.
R11.3 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not write, speak, or act in a way as to lead another to reasonably believe the rehabilitation counselor is an official Board representative unless authorized to do so in writing by the Board.
R11.4 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not claim possession of unique skills or devices not available to others in the profession unless the existence and efficacy of such skills or devices has been scientifically demonstrated.
R11.5 Licensed rehabilitation counselors will not initiate or support the candidacy of an individual for licensure if that individual is known to engage in professional practices that violate the Code.
Acknowledgments
Referenced documents, statements, and sources for the development of this Code are derived from the Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselors by the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification with portions from Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct by the American Psychological Association.