ACA Code of Ethics Section A Exam Prep –
Client Welfare, Documentation & Informed
Consent (A.1–A.2)|Verified Questions with A+
Graded Answers Latest Updated 2026
A.1.a. Primary Responsibility
The primary responsibility of counselors
is to respect the dignity and promote
the welfare of clients.
A.1.b. Records and Documentation
Counselors create, safeguard, and maintain documentation necessary for rendering professional
services. Regardless of the medium, counselors include sufficient and timely documentation to
facilitate the delivery and continuity of services. Counselors take reasonable steps to ensure
that documentation accurately reflects client progress and services provided. If amendments
are made to records and documentation, counselors take steps to properly note the
amendments according to agency or institutional policies.
A.1.c. Counseling Plans
Counselors and their clients work jointly in devising counseling plans that offer reasonable
promise of success and are consistent with the abilities, temperament, developmental level,
and circumstances of clients. Counselors and clients regularly review and revise counseling
plans to assess their continued viability and effectiveness, respecting clients' freedom of choice.
A.1.d. Support Network Involvement
Counselors recognize that support networks hold various meanings in the lives of clients and
consider enlisting the support, understanding, and involvement of others (e.g.,
religious/spiritual/community leaders, family members, friends) as positive resources, when
appropriate, with client consent.
A.2.a. Informed Consent
Clients have the freedom to choose
whether to enter into or remain in
a counseling relationship and need
,adequate information about the
counseling process and the counselor.
Counselors have an obligation to review
in writing and verbally with clients
the rights and responsibilities of
both counselors and clients. Informed
consent is an ongoing part of the
counseling process, and counselors
appropriately document discussions
of informed consent throughout the
counseling relationship.
A.2.b. Types of Information Needed
Counselors explicitly explain to clients the nature of all services provided. They inform clients
about issues such as, but not limited to, the following: the purposes, goals, techniques,
procedures, limitations, potential risks, and benefits of services; the counselor's qualifications,
credentials, relevant experience, and approach to counseling; continuation of services upon the
incapacitation or death of the counselor; the role of technology; and other pertinent
information. Counselors take steps to ensure that clients understand the implications of
diagnosis and the intended use of tests and reports. Additionally, counselors inform clients
about fees and billing arrangements, including procedures for nonpayment of fees. Clients have
the right to confidentiality and to be provided with an explanation of its limits (including how
supervisors and/or treatment or interdisciplinary team professionals are involved), to obtain
clear information about their records, to participate in the ongoing counseling plans, and to
refuse any services or modality changes and to be advised of the consequences of such refusal.
A.2.c. Developmental and Cultural Sensitivity
Counselors communicate information
in ways that are both developmentally
and culturally appropriate. Counselors
use clear and understandable language
when discussing issues related to
informed consent. When clients have
difficulty understanding the language
that counselors use, counselors provide
necessary services (e.g., arranging for
a qualified interpreter or translator)
to ensure comprehension by clients.
, In collaboration with clients, counselors
consider cultural implications
of informed consent procedures and,
where possible, counselors adjust their
practices accordingly.
A.2.d. Inability to Give Consent
When counseling minors, incapacitated
adults, or other persons unable
to give voluntary consent, counselors
seek the assent of clients to services
and include them in decision making
as appropriate. Counselors recognize
the need to balance the ethical rights
of clients to make choices, their capacity
to give consent or assent to receive
services, and parental or familial legal
rights and responsibilities to protect
these clients and make decisions on
their behalf.
A.2.e. Mandated Clients
Counselors discuss the required limitations to confidentiality when working with clients who
have been mandated for counseling services. Counselors also explain what type of information
and with whom that information is shared prior to the beginning of counseling. The client may
choose to refuse services. In this case, counselors will, to the best of their ability, discuss with
the client the potential consequences of refusing counseling services.
A.3. Clients Served by Others
When counselors learn that their clients are in a professional relationship with other mental
health professionals, they request release from clients to inform the other professionals and
strive to establish positive and collaborative professional relationships.
A.4.a. Avoiding Harm
Counselors act to avoid harming their clients, trainees, and research participants and to
minimize or to remedy unavoidable or unanticipated harm.
A.4.b. Personal Values
Client Welfare, Documentation & Informed
Consent (A.1–A.2)|Verified Questions with A+
Graded Answers Latest Updated 2026
A.1.a. Primary Responsibility
The primary responsibility of counselors
is to respect the dignity and promote
the welfare of clients.
A.1.b. Records and Documentation
Counselors create, safeguard, and maintain documentation necessary for rendering professional
services. Regardless of the medium, counselors include sufficient and timely documentation to
facilitate the delivery and continuity of services. Counselors take reasonable steps to ensure
that documentation accurately reflects client progress and services provided. If amendments
are made to records and documentation, counselors take steps to properly note the
amendments according to agency or institutional policies.
A.1.c. Counseling Plans
Counselors and their clients work jointly in devising counseling plans that offer reasonable
promise of success and are consistent with the abilities, temperament, developmental level,
and circumstances of clients. Counselors and clients regularly review and revise counseling
plans to assess their continued viability and effectiveness, respecting clients' freedom of choice.
A.1.d. Support Network Involvement
Counselors recognize that support networks hold various meanings in the lives of clients and
consider enlisting the support, understanding, and involvement of others (e.g.,
religious/spiritual/community leaders, family members, friends) as positive resources, when
appropriate, with client consent.
A.2.a. Informed Consent
Clients have the freedom to choose
whether to enter into or remain in
a counseling relationship and need
,adequate information about the
counseling process and the counselor.
Counselors have an obligation to review
in writing and verbally with clients
the rights and responsibilities of
both counselors and clients. Informed
consent is an ongoing part of the
counseling process, and counselors
appropriately document discussions
of informed consent throughout the
counseling relationship.
A.2.b. Types of Information Needed
Counselors explicitly explain to clients the nature of all services provided. They inform clients
about issues such as, but not limited to, the following: the purposes, goals, techniques,
procedures, limitations, potential risks, and benefits of services; the counselor's qualifications,
credentials, relevant experience, and approach to counseling; continuation of services upon the
incapacitation or death of the counselor; the role of technology; and other pertinent
information. Counselors take steps to ensure that clients understand the implications of
diagnosis and the intended use of tests and reports. Additionally, counselors inform clients
about fees and billing arrangements, including procedures for nonpayment of fees. Clients have
the right to confidentiality and to be provided with an explanation of its limits (including how
supervisors and/or treatment or interdisciplinary team professionals are involved), to obtain
clear information about their records, to participate in the ongoing counseling plans, and to
refuse any services or modality changes and to be advised of the consequences of such refusal.
A.2.c. Developmental and Cultural Sensitivity
Counselors communicate information
in ways that are both developmentally
and culturally appropriate. Counselors
use clear and understandable language
when discussing issues related to
informed consent. When clients have
difficulty understanding the language
that counselors use, counselors provide
necessary services (e.g., arranging for
a qualified interpreter or translator)
to ensure comprehension by clients.
, In collaboration with clients, counselors
consider cultural implications
of informed consent procedures and,
where possible, counselors adjust their
practices accordingly.
A.2.d. Inability to Give Consent
When counseling minors, incapacitated
adults, or other persons unable
to give voluntary consent, counselors
seek the assent of clients to services
and include them in decision making
as appropriate. Counselors recognize
the need to balance the ethical rights
of clients to make choices, their capacity
to give consent or assent to receive
services, and parental or familial legal
rights and responsibilities to protect
these clients and make decisions on
their behalf.
A.2.e. Mandated Clients
Counselors discuss the required limitations to confidentiality when working with clients who
have been mandated for counseling services. Counselors also explain what type of information
and with whom that information is shared prior to the beginning of counseling. The client may
choose to refuse services. In this case, counselors will, to the best of their ability, discuss with
the client the potential consequences of refusing counseling services.
A.3. Clients Served by Others
When counselors learn that their clients are in a professional relationship with other mental
health professionals, they request release from clients to inform the other professionals and
strive to establish positive and collaborative professional relationships.
A.4.a. Avoiding Harm
Counselors act to avoid harming their clients, trainees, and research participants and to
minimize or to remedy unavoidable or unanticipated harm.
A.4.b. Personal Values
