Different ethical issues

Contemporary d, january, 2006:Paper presents over 30 significant ethical issues that lved and invite more discussion by the general public. To assume that a grand unified philosophical address all these issues adequately may be a form of ng. In my mind) involve the more individual issues is as a way to assess the effectiveness of a of consciousness-raising. This preamble presented because there's still a sense that our ethical not explicitly described in the bible, they are implicit there, be applied to all modern jews actually this, and the talmudic tradition was a result, an laid the groundwork for some of the later traditions of in our judicial systems. Is health care a "right," and if so, are ted to collectively offer it, or should it be something to purchase (at some significant expense) from a goodly number of "hot potatoes," ng ethical problems, social issues, that are more often than d, at least as topics of ongoing rational social positions taken, of course, and challenges to these positions, but,Alas, rarely is there really rational discourse.

So it is worth back and consider what these issues are in following are presented in no particular order–i haven't been think of a way of classifying them or attributing any sort of chy. How should we help others who are we differentiate between the "deserving poor" and the "undeserving". Topic of welfare: general issues of responsibility are is helping someone really helping them, and when is it enabling their own self-defeating behavioral patterns. Can these entitlements tions to veterans, the elderly, children, women, any minorities,Any types of disability or "differently-abled" people? Ethical or philosophical issues in drawing distinctions among potential of alcohol, tobacco (in different forms), cocaine,Caffeine, marijuana, lsd, heroin, other opiates (e.

A) what are the economic advantages of making all regulate different types of foods and drugs? What l standards are appropriate for those in greater power, als: what kinds of efforts should we make to obligation to differentiate between violent and nonviolent crimes? A) what if people who go bankrupt have been foolish or high-handed,Or ethically lax, even though they've been legally just within the distinctions be drawn as to degrees of "fault"? Is it unethical to break ence if the behavior that is known involves something the person or others–e. Some have advocated a return to colonialism as being more ethical than our self-righteous claims to non-interference in promoting democracy).

Bloomfield, ct: responses, email contemporary d, january, 2006:Paper presents over 30 significant ethical issues that lved and invite more discussion by the general public. Are the ethical issues that need to be considered, and how do they play out in community interventions? This encompasses such issues as non-discrimination and cultural what is best for everyone under the circumstances. It's important to distinguish between doing what you can and getting in over your head to the point where what you're doing becomes truly unethical and ly strive to improve or correct, to the extent possible, the situations of participants in your program and the community. If there are issues affecting the community that have nothing to do directly with the one you're concerned with, do you nonetheless have an obligation to become involved?

What if you don't really understand the whole situation, and your involvement may do as much harm as good -- do you still have an ethical obligation to support or become active on the right side? But you need to be aware of them, and to make decisions about how you're going to address them if you're concerned about the ethics of your intervention and your is ethical behavior important in community interventions? Addition to its simply being the right thing to do, always acting ethically brings some particular advantages with it. Considering ethical principles in all aspects of a community intervention will lead you to finding the most effective and community-centered methods, and will bring dividends in participation, community support and funding ng in the community. An organization that has a reputation for ethical action is far more likely to be respected by both participants and the community as a whole than one that has been known to be unethical in the past.

An organization that's recognized as ethical is also apt to be seen as competent, and to be trusted to treat people with respect and to do what it says it will do. You have a moral obligation to yourself, the individuals you work with, and the community to be ethical in all you do, and to expect the same from others. If you fulfill that obligation, and everyone knows it, your voice will have greater impact when you speak out for what you believe is right, or against what you believe is wrong, and others will follow sional and legal issues. The american medical association, the american bar association, the american psychological association, the national association of social workers -- these and many other professional associations have detailed ethical standards their members are expected to adhere to. In most situations, ethical and legal behavior go hand in is subject to a code of ethics in community interventions?

There are, however, a number of formal ethical codes -- usually set down by professional organizations, but sometimes by law -- that apply to people in particular professional or other are some examples of people expected to adhere to a formal code of ethics:Medical professionals (i. We'll look at the implications of mandated reporter status later in this are the ethical issues that need to be considered, and how do they play out in community interventions? Not all of the areas discussed below are covered by a specific legal or ethical code for every profession or community service, but are nonetheless related to ethical behavior for just about any program or organization. All should at least be considered as you define ethics for yourself and your ly the most familiar of ethical issues -- perhaps because it's the one most often violated -- is the expectation that communications and information from participants in the course of a community intervention or program (including conversations, written or taped records, notes, test results, etc. If the program staff member is a mandated reporter for child abuse and neglect, if the participant presents a threat to himself or others, or if the staff member is subpoenaed in a legal case, both the law and ethical codes generally require that the staff person put her responsibilities to the law or to the safety of others above her promise of program staff may consider their relationship with participants to be ethically more important than legal considerations.

Often, in those cases, participation implies an agreement to the sharing of records and information, and may even be a matter of public all circumstances, ethical treatment of participants demands that they be informed about the program's confidentiality policies. All of which brings us to the next two issues, which may intertwine with confidentiality and each other: consent and are really three faces of consent: program participants giving program staff consent to share their records or information with others for purposes of service provision; participants giving informed consent to submit to particular medical or other services, treatment, research, or program conditions; and community members consenting to the location or operation of an intervention in their t to sharing of information. In some situations, services might be significantly different from participants' expectations (being asked to enter residential drug treatment as a result of psychotherapy, for example). In any of these instances, ethical practice demands that people be fully informed -- and can ask and have answered any questions -- about what they are about to take part in. Is it ethically necessary to gain the consent of a neighborhood to place a halfway house or homeless shelter there, for instance?

Legally, you may have every right to put any facility you want to there, but what is your ethical obligation (assuming you can't persuade the neighbors to change their minds)? It is ethically important both that participants know exactly what they're getting into, and that they be treated as adults who can decide what makes sense for programs have a grievance procedure for participants who feel they have been unfairly denied services, or that they have been in some way harmed in the course of their contact with a community program. If service appears to be ineffective or harmful, it is the ethical responsibility of the program to seek out or develop and try more effective methods. Of interest are virtually always unethical, to the point where the mere appearance of a conflict needs to be avoided. Even if decisions or actions are not actually influenced by personal interest, people in conflict of interest situations in their public or professional lives should do everything possible to resolve you find yourself in such a situation, the ethical remedy is two-pronged:Point it out to whoever needs to know -- your employer, a funder, the community, the participant you're working with -- and discuss possible ate the conflict situation.

The issues that exist between the two may reduce both the objectivity of the therapist and the effectiveness of the therapy. The more different funding sources you can tap, the less likely you are to find yourself in this bind, and that may in fact be the best solution: spread your funding out as much as possible, so that losing or refusing one funder doesn't put you in the situation of having to choose between ethical behavior and y unethical is behavior far beyond the bounds of the normally accepted ethical standards of society. In some cases, grossly unethical behavior may stem from taking advantage of a conflict of interest situation. Community programs need to be clear about their own ethical standards, and to hold individuals to them and to any other standards their professions demand. In most cases, staff members guilty of grossly unethical behavior should be dismissed as quickly as possible, and prosecuted where that is appropriate.

Some of the more familiar types of grossly unethical behavior include:Having sexual relationships -- even consensual sexual relationships -- with people with whom you have a professional relationship in which you hold the power. Funders: billing for non-existent services, or inventing problems in order to deliver unnecessary g necessary medical services to those uninsured and unable to minating in service delivery by race, gender, ethnicity, mination may not be unethical if an intervention is established to serve a particular group for a particular purpose. Selling drugs or robbing a l ethical l behavior for a community intervention is more than simply following particular professional codes and keeping your nose clean. It means actively striving to do what is right for participants and for the community, and treating everyone -- participants, staff members, funders, the community at large -- in an ethical way. You are also responsible for protecting staff from harm to the extent possible, and for warning and training them if some physical or other danger is part of their owe it to a youth gang outreach worker, for instance, to train him in such areas as the boundaries of different gang territories, colors or clothing that send particular signals, conflict resolution techniques, how to talk to gang members without creating problems, etc.

Most ethical decisions are far from cut and issue of respect can also be confusing. You are responsible for trying to understand and meet the needs of the community; for being responsive to community attitudes and opinions (without compromising your own mission or philosophy); and for trying, through your intervention, to improve the quality of life in some way for both program participants and the community as a participatory nature of community interventions that these obligations imply can also raise ethical questions. It usually makes both ethical and practical sense to involve the target population and/or the community at large in planning a community program. It's important to consider the questions, but to understand that taking what you see as the ethical path can sometimes land you in a briar patch. The answers will probably vary in different places and l considerations are extremely important in community interventions.

A program that itself behaves unethically or allows its staff to do so is both ignoring its mission and risking its credibility and effectiveness in the e ethical issues are not always cut and dried, community programs should work out their own ethical guidelines and policies before questions actually arise. If you can agree on standards for primary ethical issues -- confidentiality, consent, disclosure, competence, conflict of interest, grossly unethical behavior, and the overall ethical stance and actions of the program -- and create policies which will help you uphold those standards, you're on your way to community respect and outstanding service an psychological association. A discussion of the concept of self in law, and how that affects issues of ethics and , s.