Question

A client is struggling with the ability to pay for counseling he is receiving from a salaried clinical social worker at the county health department. The social worker agrees to help advocate for greater payment assistance programs to assist the client in paying his bill. Which of the following is true regarding this situation?

A. The social worker is not acting out of self-interest, since he is paid a salary rather than being paid on a per-client basis.

B. The social worker's advocacy may be influenced by a conflict of interest, as he is directly involved in the financial aspects of the client's payment.

C. The social worker's advocacy is unethical, as it goes beyond the scope of his role in providing counseling services.

D. The social worker should prioritize his own financial interests over advocating for payment assistance programs for the client.

Answer 1

The social worker is not acting out of self-interest as he is paid a salary and his advocacy for payment assistance aligns with ethical principles in social work. Advocacy is part of their role to ensure clients' access to resources and does not pose a conflict of interest or go beyond professional duties.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the situation where a client is struggling to pay for counseling received from a salaried clinical social worker and the social worker agrees to help advocate for greater payment assistance programs, it is important to evaluate the ethics and self-interest involved. In this scenario, the correct statement would be that the social worker is not acting out of self-interest, since he is paid a salary rather than being paid on a per-client basis.

Furthermore, the act of advocating for greater payment assistance by the social worker can be seen as part of their professional role to work in the best interest of their clients. Such advocacy aligns with the values of social work, which include social justice and the dignity and worth of the person. The social worker's advocacy is not necessarily influenced by a conflict of interest because even though he is involved in the financial aspects, he does not stand to gain financially from the assistance programs.

Lastly, the social worker's actions should not be considered unethical as it does not go beyond the scope of his role in providing counseling services. It is part of a social worker's role to help their clients gain access to necessary resources, which can include payment assistance programs. It is aligned with the ethical principle of beneficence, which is to help others, and the principle of justice, which is to act fairly and advocate for fair treatment.