Discussion: Ethics and Standards Codes of ethics and standards are documents that express the ethical and professional ideals of a profession. They outline the aspirational practices that are expected in a profession but often do not provide explicit guidance on how attainment of these ideals should be accomplished. For instance, in this course, you focus on the National Organization for Human Services’ (NOHS) Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. Standard 14 states, “Human service professionals are aware of social and political issues that differentially affect clients from diverse backgrounds” (NOHS, 2015). The actions or behaviors necessary on the part of the professional to meet this standard may differ from client to client depending on the cultural background of both the professional and the client, the experience of the professional in working with similar clients, and the resources available to the professional for professional development. The best use of professional codes of ethics, then, is as a tool to inform ethical decision making by all professionals in a given field. For human and social service professionals, the NOHS standards may be used as guideposts for acting in the most professionally and ethically responsible manners. Dilemmas sometimes arise between standards and laws, or two conflicting ethical perspectives, in which case the standards may be used to minimize ethical harm to those groups to which professionals are beholden. For this Discussion, you reflect on your professional identity as a human and social services professional and consider how the NOHS standards impact your professional identity, decisions, and actions. To Prepare: Review and consider the NOHS website and the Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals. The NOHS ethical standards are organized into sections based on those groups to whom human and service professionals have professional responsibility and to which the standards should be applied. As you reflect on the standards, consider how they would inform your decision making with each group (e.g., clients, the public, self, employers) within your particular role in the human and social services field. If you are not yet working within the field, consider how they would apply to a future role you would like to hold. Post  an explanation of how you identify as a human and social services professional (e.g., social worker, gerontology aid, administrator, probation officer, residential counselor). In your explanation, include how your understanding of the NOHS Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals will impact your professional identity, decisions, and actions. Required Readings Corey, G., Corey, M. S., Corey, C., & Callanan, P. (2015).  Issues and ethics in the helping professions, updated with 2014 ACA codes  (9th ed.). Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. Chapter 3, “Values and the Helping Relationship” (pp. 68–103) Chapter 4, “Multicultural Perspectives and Diversity I.

1. Discussion: Ethics and Standards
Codes of ethics and standards are documents that express the
ethical and professional ideals of a profession. They outline the
aspirational practices that are expected in a profession but often
do not provide explicit guidance on how attainment of these
ideals should be accomplished. For instance, in this course, you
focus on the National Organization for Human Services’
(NOHS) Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals.
Standard 14 states, “Human service professionals are aware of
social and political issues that differentially affect clients from
diverse backgrounds” (NOHS, 2015). The actions or behaviors
necessary on the part of the professional to meet this standard
may differ from client to client depending on the cultural
background of both the professional and the client, the
experience of the professional in working with similar clients,
and the resources available to the professional for professional
development.
The best use of professional codes of ethics, then, is as a tool to
inform ethical decision making by all professionals in a given
field. For human and social service professionals, the NOHS
standards may be used as guideposts for acting in the most
professionally and ethically responsible manners. Dilemmas
sometimes arise between standards and laws, or two conflicting
ethical perspectives, in which case the standards may be used to
minimize ethical harm to those groups to which professionals
are beholden.
For this Discussion, you reflect on your professional identity as
a human and social services professional and consider how the
NOHS standards impact your professional identity, decisions,
and actions.
To Prepare:
Review and consider the NOHS website and the Ethical
Standards for Human Service Professionals.
The NOHS ethical standards are organized into sections based
on those groups to whom human and service professionals have

2. professional responsibility and to which the standards should be
applied. As you reflect on the standards, consider how they
would inform your decision making with each group (e.g.,
clients, the public, self, employers) within your particular role
in the human and social services field. If you are not yet
working within the field, consider how they would apply to a
future role you would like to hold.
Post
an explanation of how you identify as a human and social
services professional (e.g., social worker, gerontology aid,
administrator, probation officer, residential counselor). In your
explanation, include how your understanding of the NOHS
Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals will impact
your professional identity, decisions, and actions.
Required Readings
Corey, G., Corey, M. S., Corey, C., & Callanan, P. (2015).
Issues and ethics in the helping professions, updated with 2014
ACA codes
(9th ed.). Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning.
Chapter 3, “Values and the Helping Relationship” (pp. 68–103)
Chapter 4, “Multicultural Perspectives and Diversity Issues”
(pp. 104–149)
Diller, J. V. (2015).
Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services
(5th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Chapter 4, “Understanding Racism, Prejudice, and White
Privilege” (pp. 57–91)
Chapter 5, “Understanding Culture and Cultural Differences”
(pp. 92–114)
Triandis, H. C. (2011). Culture and self-deception: A theoretical
perspective.
Social Behavior & Personality, 39
(1), 3–13.

3. Note:
You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Wark, L. (2010). The Ethical Standards for Human Service
Professionals: Past and future.
Journal of Human Services, 30
(1), 18–22.
Note:
You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/ethical-standards-for-hs-
professionals