The Fee in Social Work: Ethical Dilemmas for Practitioners

摘要: Although the meaning of money matters in psychotherapy has been addressed since inception this practice, these discussions have focused almost exclusively on perspective client. It is only recently that professional literature begun to examine more extensively practitioner regarding and fee. The dramatic at same time subtle infiltration managed care into various aspects social work practice required individual practitioners consequently, profession as a whole actively attend fee concerns. Within current economic-practice climate, range recurring issues related ethical dilemmas surfaced. This discussion delineates some fee-related accompanying commonly experienced by practitioners. an effort enhance awareness recognition may turn serve inform they struggle intervene with clients clinically ethically sound ways. important concerns such client confidentiality, values, sexual misconduct, choice treatment modality, scant attention paid are related. An dilemma be described "any controversy involves conflicting moral principles which one experiences different pulls" (Purtilo & Cassell, 1981, p. 7). In attempting resolve dilemmas, consideration given personal attitudes, beliefs, duties, obligations. Ethics plays central role clinical "not informing clinicians' goals basic methodological assumptions but also being aspect every judgement clinician makes . ." (Dean Rhodes, 1992, 128). A practitioner's framework embodies universal values justice, respect, self-determination, ethics. These part intervention, influenced models theoretical orientations, well view cultural norms beliefs. Finally, all variables subject interpretation process implementation. Ethical-clinical tensions occur when attempts "maintain stance while understanding client's sense importance his or her priorities" 130). NASW Code (1996) acknowledges ethics "content complexity human experience" (p. 1), offering "a set principles, standards guide decision making conduct arise" 2). stated guiding principle code "enhance well-being" within core cautions workers "should aware any conflicts between deal them responsibly" 3). Simply put, likely evoke ethical-clinical for private agency settings insofar it represents agency's income. implication this, however, quite complex because reality not always congruent priorities, potentially positioning positions. Private carries inherent tension therapeutic relationship something asked from will benefit personally. context worker must effectively balance primacy interests against own income needs decision, whether setting, adjusting, collecting fees. …