When Ethics and Legalities Collide

Each professional code of ethics includes a requirement to define limitations of confidentiality that are not always required by law. Legal mandates in some states can result in dilemmas when they conflict with standards in the code of ethics. For example, standards of confidentiality might conflict with a court order or a duty to protect a third party.

In your initial post, consider a situation such as the disclosure of HIV status or adolescent privacy standards for disclosure to parents without consent. Use the Tarvydas (2012) integrative approach to decision making (described in your textbook) to discuss how you would arrive at a decision about confidentiality or disclosure related to potential ethical dilemmas caused by conflicts between the code of ethics and legal requirements.