Rule 24-2-14.3 - Ethical ConductA. In addition to complying with ethical standards set forth by any relevant licensing or professional organizations, the governing authority and all employees and volunteers (regardless of whether they hold a professional license) must adhere to the highest ethical and moral conduct in their interactions with the people and family members they serve, as well as in their use of agency provider funds and grants.B. Breaches of ethical or moral conduct toward people, their families, or other vulnerable people, include but are not limited to, the following situations from which an agency provider is prohibited from engaging:1. Borrowing money or property;2. Accepting gifts of monetary value;3. Sexual (or other inappropriate) contact;4. Entering into business transactions or arrangement, (an exception can be made by the Executive Director of the certified agency provider. The Executive Director of the certified agency provider is responsible for ensuring that there are no ethical concerns associated with the hiring and supervision practices);5. Physical, mental or emotional abuse;6. Theft, embezzlement, fraud, or other actions involving deception or deceit, or the commission of acts constituting a violation of laws regarding vulnerable adults, violent crimes or moral turpitude, whether or not the employee or volunteer is criminally prosecuted and whether or not directed at people or the people's families;8. Failure to maintain proper professional and emotional boundaries;9. Aiding, encouraging or inciting the performance of illegal or immoral acts;10. Making reasonable treatment-related needs of the people secondary or subservient to the needs of the employee or volunteer;11. Failure to report knowledge of unethical or immoral conduct or giving false statements during inquiries to such conduct;12. Action or inaction, which indicates a clear failure to act in an ethical, moral, legal, and professional manner;13. Breach of and/or misuse of confidential information; and,14. Failure to report suspected or confirmed abuse, neglect or exploitation of a person receiving services in accordance with state reporting laws to include (but not limited to) the Vulnerable Persons Act and Child Abuse or Neglect Reporting requirements. Section 41-4-7 of the Mississippi Code, 1972, as Amended