By Elaine P. congress, DSW, Chair, Committee on Ehtics and Professional Standards
(October 1993)

Your colleague in the next office seems to be abusing alcohol. You have noticed that he is frequently absent on Monday, often comes in late, and has begun to take two hour lunches and returns to the office smelling of alcohol. Your professional work involves direct practice with emotionally disturbed adolescents and you have noticed that your colleague has recently cancelled sessions or not kept several scheduled appointments. You have been friendly with this person in the past and are not sure what is the "right" thing to do now.

You had been seeing a young woman for individual therapy sessions for the last year. About a month ago this client terminated as she felt she was better able to handle her social and vocational problems than previously. You agreed that this termination was timely. Yesterday you just received an invitation in the mail and a message on your voice mail inviting you to an apartment house warming party she was hosting. Should you attend this party?

These case vignettes relate to changes in the NASW Code of Ethics which were adopted by the 1993 NASW Delegate Assembly and will become effective in July, 1994. During the 1993-1994 programming year, the New York City Chapter's Committee on Ethics and Professional Standards will study these new Code provisions on impaired colleagues and dual relationships, as well as other ethical issues and dilemmas which arise in social work practice.

In order to promote an understanding of ethical issues and dilemmas in practice, the Committee has begun to plan educational activities for the upcoming year. Members are encouraged to submit case vignettes of ethical dilemmas they have encountered to be used as part of these activities and for inclusion in a future column on ethics, standards, and legal issues in Currents. In order to protect confidentiality, the names of clients and colleagues must be changed in the vignettes.

The Committee is also planning a one day conference or series of workshops on ethics to be held in the spring. Last April, the Ethics Committee sponsored a half day conference on "Ethical Dilemmas in Daily Practice" at Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service. The panel, which included a social work administrator, supervisor, direct practitioner, ethicist, and a lawyer, considered two case vignettes, one in the child welfare field and the other in geriatrics. Over 100 people attended this conference and the response was overwhelmingly positive. Based on participant evaluation of the conference, we would like to include other areas of practice, as well as provide more opportunity for participants to participate in discussion about resolving ethical dilemmas. In order to help plan for the 1994 conference, we would like to invite members to join the Committee by sending in the form on this page. This committee meets once a month in the Chapter office; meeting times are announced in Currents.

The Committee would also like to organize a Speakers Bureau with the input of members. Experts in different areas of ethics would be available to speak at agencies about their ethical concerns and dilemmas.

Please call the Chapter office, (212) 668-0050 with any questions.