COU 532 - Professional Issues in Counseling: Legal and Ethical

3 Credit Hour(s)

This course is designed to provide an orientation to counseling as a profession including the history, roles, and organizational structure and help students develop a personal framework for ethical action and to become more effective in addressing ethical issues in the field of professional counseling. Emphasis will be placed on understanding and identifying relevant legal and ethical issues in school and mental health counseling, including ethical decision-making protocols. This course will use the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), the American Counseling Association (ACA) and its affiliates, the Ohio Licensure Board (CSWMFT), and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) ethical standards to build a theoretical framework for approaching ethical dilemmas in a systematic way. Students will also become familiar with relevant Ohio statutes and federal laws. It is intended to deepen awareness of new and emerging ethical issues and provide the tools necessary for the entry level professional. (Fall)