Ala. Admin. Code r. 536-X-8-.04

Current through Register Vol. 43, No. 1, October 31, 2024

Section 536-X-8-.04 - Responsibility To Students And Supervisees

Marriage and family therapists do not exploit the trust and dependency of students and supervisees.

(1) Marriage and family therapists are aware of their influential positions with respect to students and supervisees, and they avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of such persons. Therapists, recognize that potential for multiple relationships with students exist. Marriage and family therapists accept that multiple relationships add to the complexity of the professional relationship and work to ensure clarity of professional judgment and avoid exploitation of the student.

(2) Marriage and family therapists do not provide therapy to current students or supervisees.

(3) Marriage and family therapists do not engage in sexual intimacy with undergraduate or graduate students or supervisees during the evaluative or training relationship between the therapist and student or supervisee. Should a supervisor engage in sexual activity with a former student or supervisee, the burden of proof shifts to the supervisor to demonstrate that there has been no exploitation or injury to the student or supervisee.

(4) The marriage and family therapist shall not sexually harass students or supervisees. Sexual harassment includes sexual solicitation or requests for sexual favors.

(5) Marriage and family therapists do not permit students or supervisees to perform or to hold themselves out as competent to perform professional services beyond their training, level of experience, and competence.

(6) Marriage and family therapists take reasonable measures to ensure that services provided by supervisees are professional.

(7) Marriage and family therapists avoid accepting as supervisees or students those individuals with whom a prior or existing relationship could compromise the therapist's objectivity. When such situations cannot be avoided, therapists take appropriate precautions to maintain objectivity. Examples of such relationships include, but are not limited to, those individuals with whom the therapist has a current or prior sexual, close personal, immediate familial, or therapeutic relationship.

(8) Marriage and family therapists do not disclose supervisee confidences except by written authorization or waiver, or when mandated or permitted by law. In educational or training settings where there are multiple supervisors, disclosures are permitted only to other professional colleagues, administrators, or employers who share responsibility for training of the supervisee. Verbal authorization will not be sufficient except in emergency situations, unless prohibited by law.

(9) Marriage and family therapists providing clinical supervision shall not enter into financial arrangements with supervisees through deceptive or exploitative practices, nor shall marriage and family therapists providing clinical supervision exert undue influence over supervisees when establishing supervision fees. Marriage and family therapists shall also not engage in other exploitative practices of supervisees.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 536-X-8-.04

New Rule: Filed December 22, 2009; effective January 26, 2010. Amended: Filed February 8, 2012; effective March 14, 2012.

Amended by Alabama Administrative Monthly Volume XXXVII, Issue No. 09, June 28, 2019, eff. 8/3/2019.

Author: The Alabama Board of Examiners in Marriage and Family Therapy

Statutory Authority:Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 34-17A-1 thru 34-17A-26.