The Catholic Charities USA Code of Ethics Ethical Standards

Ethical Standards
(1) Responsibilities to Clients (7) Research Responsibilities (2) Board and Governance Responsibilities

(6) Resource Development/ Funding Responsibilities

7 Areas of Organizational Ethical Responsibility

(3) CEO/ Management Team Responsibilities

(5) Social Responsibilities

(4) Staff/Volunteer/ Agency Responsibilities

Grounded in the Gospel

The Gospel tells us: Love our God

Love our neighbor

Loving our neighbor is the foundation of the first ethical standard responsibility to clients

Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching..

Catholic Social Teaching - a set of ethical guideposts for a just society and world.
Human Dignity each person has inherent
dignity

Common Good what benefits everyone

Ethical Standard

Responsibility to Clients

Responsibility to Clients

Responsibility to Clients boils down to two core values - service and justice.

Responsibility to Clients

Staff are accountable for what they do, what they do not do, and what the client/staff relationship provides the opportunity and responsibility to do

Responsibility to Clients Responsibility of Staff

Staff are expected to provide competent, effective and culturallysensitive services.

Responsibility to Clients Responsibility of Staff

Staff are expected to:

Do No Harm
(Best interest of the clients paramount)

Accountability, competence, loyalty and confidentiality

Service

The purpose of service is to address the presenting and assessed needs of clients. It is not to address the needs of staff.

Responsibility to Clients Responsibility of Staff

Choosing the right thing to do is not always easy when there are competing rights, interests or values.

Service
Avoid conflicts of interest and dual relationships
Interfere with capacity to make appropriate decisions and exercise judgment

Service
Critical Practice Activities:
Informed Consent Confidentiality Release of Information Duty to Warn/Duty to Protect

Duty to Report

Service
Ethical behavior applies to agency activities as well as staff
Fees for service must be fair, reasonable and appropriate

Consider clients ability to pay

Justice

Seeking justice for all means working to change structures that violate human dignity.

Justice
Social justice mandate:

Work to improve quality of life for all

Work for the rights of others Bring about the common good Develop potential to contribute to society

Justice

Structures that violate human dignity:

Discrimination
Poverty

Recognizing and Addressing Conflicts

Conflicts
personal and professional values agency policies relevant laws or regulations
sections of the Codes principles, values and standards

Recognizing and Addressing Conflicts

Conflicts What to do?

Identify The conflict in ethical terms;
the conflict of values, rights, or responsibilities in question (the rights of the individual vs. the rights of the organization)

Question - What personal values,

biases, or preferences you have in the situation that are creating conflict?

Consult - Co-workers and supervisor

Responsibility to Clients
Questions: Should staff report a colleague to their supervisor if the colleague reveals that she has developed a sexual relationship with one of her clients? If requested by their supervisor, is it okay for staff to provide supervision to a colleague around issues in which the staff has minimal knowledge and competence? Is it okay for staff not to record information given by a client in confidence in the case file when agency procedures require recording all pertinent information?

Are staff obligated to engage in social advocacy and social action when their job description does not specify such activity?
What is the best course of action when the ethical responsibilities of staff to clients seem to be in direct conflict with the agency values or policy?