Ethical Codes
The following are links to ethical codes are relevant to various groups of mental health professionals. Ethics are a key part of a mental health practitioner's job. These guidelines must be strictly followed at all times during interactions with clients.
Psychiatrists
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry: Code of Ethics
- American Academy of Psychiatry & Law: Ethical Guidelines for the Practice of Forensic Psychiatry
- American Psychiatric Association: The Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry
- American Psychiatric Nurses Association: Position Papers
- Canadian Psychiatric Association: The CMA Code of Ethics Annotated for Psychiatrists
Counselors/General Psychotherapy
- American Association of Christian Counselors: Code of Ethics
- American Association of Pastoral Counselors: Code of Ethics
- American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists: Code of Ethics
- American College Personnel Association: Statement of Ethical Principles and Standards
- American Counseling Association: Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice
- American Group Psychotherapy Association: Guidelines for Ethics
- American School Counselor Association: Ethical Standards for School Counselors
- American Society of Clinical Hypnosis: Code of Ethics
- Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology: Code of Ethics
- Association for Specialists in Group Work Best Practice Guidelines: Best Practice Guidelines
- Association for Specialists in Group Work: Principles for Diversity-Competent Group Workers
- Association for Specialists in Group Work: Professional Standards for the Training of Group Workers
- Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers: Professional Code of Ethics
- Association of Clinical Pastoral Education: Standards & Ethics Manual
- Association of Professional Chaplains: Code of Ethics
- British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy: Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling & Psychotherapy
- British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors: Code of Ethical Conduct & Standards of Clinical Practice for Registered Clinical Counsellors
- California Association for Counseling & Development: Code of Ethics & Standards of Practice
- California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists: Ethical Standards
- Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification: Code of Professional Ethics
- Employee Assistance Professionals Association: EAPA Code of Ethics
- European Association for Body-Psychotherapy: Ethical Guidelines & Code
- Irish Association for Counseling & Therapy: Code of Ethics & Practice
- National Board for Certified Counselors: Code of Ethics
- National Board for Certified Counselors: The Practice of Internet Counseling
- National Career Development Association: Ethical Standards
- National Council for Hypnotherapy: Code of Ethics & Conduct
Psychologists
- American Academy of Forensic Psychology: Specialty Guidelines
- American Board of Forensic Psychology: Specialty Guidelines
- American Psychoanalytic Association: Principles and Standards of Ethics for Psychoanalysts
- American Psychological Association: Disaster Response Network Member Guidelines
- American Psychological Association: Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct
- American Psychological Association: Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations in Divorce Proceedings
- American Psychological Association: Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in the Care and Use of Animals
- American Psychological Association: Guidelines for the Evaluation of Dementia and Age-Related Cognitive Decline
- American Psychological Association: APA Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services to Ethnic, Linguistic, and Culturally Diverse Populations
- American Psychological Association: Guidelines for Psychological Evaluations in Child Protection Matters
- American Psychological Association: Guidelines for Psychological Practice with Older Adults
- American Psychological Association: Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay, & Bisexual Clients
- American Psychological Association: Guidelines on Multicultural Education,Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists
- American Psychological Association: Record Keeping Guidelines
- American Psychological Association: Report from APA Working Group on Assisted Suicide and End-of-Life Decisions
- American Psychological Association: Resolution on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation
- American Psychological Association: Rights and Responsibilities of Test Takers: Guidelines and Expectations
- American Psychological Association: Statement on Services by Telephone, Teleconferencing, & Internet
- Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards: Code of Conduct
- Association of State & Provincial Psychology Boards: Supervision Guidelines (pdf)
- Australian Psychological Society: Code of Ethics
- British Psychological Society: Ethics, Rules, Charter, Code of Conduct
- Canadian Psychoanalytic Society: Principles of Ethics for Psychoanalysis
- Canadian Psychological Association: Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists (3rd edition)
- Canadian Psychological Association: Guidelines for Professional Practice for School Psychologists
- Canadian Psychological Association: Practice Guidelines for Providers of Psychological Services
- Christian Association for Psychological Studies: Ethics Statement
- European Federation of Psychologists' Associations: Charter of Professional Ethics for Psychologists
- National Academy of Neuropsychology: Independent & Court-Ordered Forensic Neuropsychological Examinations
- National Academy of Neuropsychology: Presence of Third-Party Observers during Neuropsychological Testing
- National Academy of Neuropsychology: Use of Neuropsychology Test Technicians in Clinical Practice
- National Association of School Psychologists: Professional Conduct Manual--Principles for Professional Ethics
- New Zealand Psychological Society: Code of Ethics
Social Workers
- American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists & Social Workers: Standards for Psychologists & Social Workers in SCI Rehabilitation
- American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work: Code of Ethics
- Australian Association of Social Workers: Code of Ethics (use Quicklinks)
- British Association of Social Workers: Code of Ethics for Social Work
- California Society for Clinical Social Work: Ethical Standards of the Clinical Social Work Federation
- Clinical Social Work Association: Code of Ethics
- International Federation of Social Workers: Ethics of Social Work -- Statement of Principles
- Irish Association of Social Workers: Code of Ethics
- Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners: Guidelines for Child Custody Evaluations
- National Association of Social Workers: Code of Ethics
Medical and Miscellaneous
- American Hospital Association: Billing & Collection Practices
- American Medical Association: Principles of Medical Ethics
- American Music Therapy Association: Code of Ethics
- American Nursing Association: Code of Ethics for Nurses
- Canadian Medical Association: Code of Ethics
- Catholic Church: Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services
- Feminist Therapy Institute: Code of Ethics
- Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association: Standards of Care for Gender Identity Disorders
- International Society for the Study of Dissociation: Guidelines for the Evaluation and Treatment of Dissociative Symptoms in Children and Adolescents
- International Society for the Study of Dissociation: Guidelines for Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder (Multiple Personality Disorder) in Adults
- Joint Committee on Testing Practices: Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education
- National Academies of Practice: Ethical Guidelines for Professional Care and Services in a Managed Health Care Environment
- Mental Health Patient's Bill of Rights
- National Student Nurses Association: Code of Professional Conduct
- Society for Research in Child Development: Ethical Standards for Research with Children
- National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare: Values & Principles for Behavioral Healthcare Delivery
- World Medical Association: Ethics Policies