Running head: U3A1: ETHICAL STANDARDS RESOURCE PORTFOLIO 1
U3a1: Ethical Standards Resource Portfolio
Anthony O’Hare
Capella University
,U3A1: ETHICAL STANDARDS RESEARCH PORTFOLIO
2
U3a1: Ethical Standards Resource Portfolio
As a psychologist, it is our job to help others who are in need of therapy. Part of
this help is to ensure that we not only protect our clients, but we protect ourselves from
the ethical and legal guidelines set forth from the American Psychological Association
(APA) and the State Board of Psychology. It is imperative that, as a psychologist, we
become familiar with various laws, codes of conduct, and principles from the APA and
our state of practice. This research portfolio is developed in order to provide an easily
assessable means to become familiar with the ethical rules and guidelines for both the
APA and the Pennsylvania's State Board of Psychology.
American Psychological Association Ethics Code
The APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code)
is the national standard for psychologists to follow. The Ethics Code is broken down into
four sections. These sections consist of the following: introduction, Preamble, five
General Principles (A-E), and specific Ethical Standards (Bersoff, 2008, p. 14). The
Ethics Code applies to activities such as in-person, postal (mail), telephone, Internet,
emails, and other forms of electronic transmissions (Bersoff, 2008, p. 14).
The Ethics Code applies to those psychologists who take part in clinical,
counseling, schools, research, training, public service, supervising trainees (interns),
forensics, administration, social intervention, and so on (American Psychological
Association, 2017). An important consideration to keep in mind as psychologists, is that
if any of the ethical responsibilities conflict with the law or other regulations, a
psychologist must make it known that their commitment to the Ethics Code, and must
, U3A1: ETHICAL STANDARDS RESEARCH PORTFOLIO
3
take the proper steps in order to resolve any conflict in a responsible and professional
manner (APA, 2017).
Contact Information
American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20002-4242. Phone number: (800) 374 - 2721 / (202) 336 - 5500.
Resource Link
The resource link is: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
Mental Health Law Codes
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
This resource discusses costs, coverage, and availability of our mental health
medical care (NCSL, 2017). These laws are divided into three categories. The first is
Mental Health "Parity" or Equal Coverage Laws. This entails that insurers or health care
service plans are prohibited from discriminating between coverage. The second,
Minimum Mandated Mental Health Benefit Laws, requires many states to provide some
form of coverage for mental illnesses since these states have allowed for discrepancies
within the level of benefits. Finally, the third law, Mental Health "Mandated Offering
Laws," requires that you do not have to provide any benefits at all (NCSL, 2017).
Contact information. 444 North Capitol Street, N. W., Suite 515, Washington,
DC 20001. Phone number: (202) 624 - 5400.
Resource link. The resource link is: http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/mental-
health-benefits-state-mandates.aspx
U3a1: Ethical Standards Resource Portfolio
Anthony O’Hare
Capella University
,U3A1: ETHICAL STANDARDS RESEARCH PORTFOLIO
2
U3a1: Ethical Standards Resource Portfolio
As a psychologist, it is our job to help others who are in need of therapy. Part of
this help is to ensure that we not only protect our clients, but we protect ourselves from
the ethical and legal guidelines set forth from the American Psychological Association
(APA) and the State Board of Psychology. It is imperative that, as a psychologist, we
become familiar with various laws, codes of conduct, and principles from the APA and
our state of practice. This research portfolio is developed in order to provide an easily
assessable means to become familiar with the ethical rules and guidelines for both the
APA and the Pennsylvania's State Board of Psychology.
American Psychological Association Ethics Code
The APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct (Ethics Code)
is the national standard for psychologists to follow. The Ethics Code is broken down into
four sections. These sections consist of the following: introduction, Preamble, five
General Principles (A-E), and specific Ethical Standards (Bersoff, 2008, p. 14). The
Ethics Code applies to activities such as in-person, postal (mail), telephone, Internet,
emails, and other forms of electronic transmissions (Bersoff, 2008, p. 14).
The Ethics Code applies to those psychologists who take part in clinical,
counseling, schools, research, training, public service, supervising trainees (interns),
forensics, administration, social intervention, and so on (American Psychological
Association, 2017). An important consideration to keep in mind as psychologists, is that
if any of the ethical responsibilities conflict with the law or other regulations, a
psychologist must make it known that their commitment to the Ethics Code, and must
, U3A1: ETHICAL STANDARDS RESEARCH PORTFOLIO
3
take the proper steps in order to resolve any conflict in a responsible and professional
manner (APA, 2017).
Contact Information
American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC
20002-4242. Phone number: (800) 374 - 2721 / (202) 336 - 5500.
Resource Link
The resource link is: http://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx
Mental Health Law Codes
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)
This resource discusses costs, coverage, and availability of our mental health
medical care (NCSL, 2017). These laws are divided into three categories. The first is
Mental Health "Parity" or Equal Coverage Laws. This entails that insurers or health care
service plans are prohibited from discriminating between coverage. The second,
Minimum Mandated Mental Health Benefit Laws, requires many states to provide some
form of coverage for mental illnesses since these states have allowed for discrepancies
within the level of benefits. Finally, the third law, Mental Health "Mandated Offering
Laws," requires that you do not have to provide any benefits at all (NCSL, 2017).
Contact information. 444 North Capitol Street, N. W., Suite 515, Washington,
DC 20001. Phone number: (202) 624 - 5400.
Resource link. The resource link is: http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/mental-
health-benefits-state-mandates.aspx
