ETHICAL DILEMMAS FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS IN AN

ETHICAL DILEMMAS FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS IN AN ELECTRONIC AGE 1 Eleanor Pepi Downey, MSW, Ph. D Sue Martin, LICSW Kim Marie Jordan, BSW – Graduate Assistant

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Understand ethical challenges created by use of technology within school setting and practice of school social work Understand risks and benefits created by use of technology Apply ethical and legal standards to use of technology Develop strategies for addressing potential ethical concerns in using technology 2

AGENDA Review of ethical principles Current thinking about their application to technology-NASW & ASWB Standards � What questions and concerns does this document raise for you? � What are the challenges unique to your setting? Current literature on technology and ethics in social work practice and school social work Dilemmas or issues you face as a result of technology 3

DEFINITION: ETHICAL ISSUE OR ETHICAL DILEMMA Ethical Issue � Involves ethical principles � Ethical decision making based on law and/or NASW Code of Ethics Ethical Dilemma � When there are two or more competing ethical principles involved � Conflict of values, rights and/or professional responsibilities � Each possible alternative will result in an undesirable outcome for one or more stakeholders 4

DEFINITION: TECHNOLOGY “… any electronically mediated activity used in the conduct of competent and ethical delivery of services. ” (NASW & ASWB, 2005) 5

ENTER TECHNOLOGY: THE POSSIBILITIES Email, Fax, Voicemail, Blogging Skype Text, Twitter and Tweet Social Network � Facebook & My Space � Flickr & Friendster � Linked. In � You. Tube Electronic recordkeeping � Shared servers � Case management programs � Electronic IEPs 6

NASW CODE OF ETHICS 7 References to Technology

DUTY TO INFORM Social workers who provide services via electronic media (such as computer, telephone, radio, and television) should inform recipients of the limitations and risks associated with such services. (1. 03[c]) 8

CONFIDENTIALITY Social workers should protect the confidentiality of clients’ written and electronic records and other sensitive information. Social workers should take reasonable steps to ensure that clients’ records are stored in a secure location and that clients’ records are not available to others who are not authorized to have access. (1. 07[l]) 9

PRIVACY Social workers should take precautions to ensure and maintain the confidentiality of information transmitted to other parties through the use of computers, electronic mail, facsimile machines, telephones and telephone answering machines, and other electronic or computer technology. Disclosure of identifying information should be avoided whenever possible. (1. 07[m]) 10

TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE 11 National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Association of Boards of Social Work (ASWB) 2005

STANDARDS GOALS OF STANDARDS Maintain and improve quality of technology-related to social work services Guide for social workers incorporating technology into practice Guidelines for monitoring and evaluating technology used in service delivery Inform individuals and agencies about professional standards 12

STANDARD 1: ETHICS & VALUES Social workers providing services via the telephone or other electronic means shall act ethically, ensure professional competence, protect clients, and uphold values of the profession. 13

STANDARD 2: ACCESS Social . workers shall have access to technology and appropriate support systems to ensure competent practice, and shall take action to ensure client access to technology. 14

STANDARD 3: CULTURAL COMPETENCE Social workers shall select and develop appropriate online methods, skills, and techniques that are attuned to their clients’ cultural, bicultural, or marginalized experiences in their environments. 15

STANDARD 4: TECHNICAL COMPETENCE Social workers shall be responsible for becoming proficient in the technological skills and tools required for competent and ethical practice and for seeking appropriate training and consultation to stay current in emerging technologies. 16

STANDARD 5: REGULATORY COMPETENCE Social workers who use telephonic or other electronic means to provide services shall abide by all regulation of their professional practice with the understanding that their practice may be subject to regulation in both the jurisdiction in which the client receives services as well as the jurisdiction in which the social worker provides services. 17

STANDARD 7: PRIVACY, CONFIDENTIALITY, DOCUMENTATION & SECURITY Social workers shall protect client privacy when using technology in their practice and document all services, taking special safeguards to protect client information in the electronic record. 18

STANDARD 9 –PRACTICE COMPETENCE 9 -3 Social Workers shall keep themselves informed about technology that will advance quality program operations and service delivery, invest in and maintain such systems to ensure access, appropriate security and privacy in agency systems. 19

STANDARD 9 –PRACTICE COMPETENCE 9 -5 Social workers conducting, evaluating, disseminating, or implementing research using technological approaches shall do so in the manner than ensures ethical credibility and ensures the informed consent of participants. 20

STANDARD 9 –PRACTICE COMPETENCE 9 -6 When using or providing supervision and consultation by technological means, social work supervisors and supervisees shall follow the standards that would be applied to a face-to-face supervisory relationship and shall be competent in the technologies used. 21

STANDARD 10 -CONTINUING EDUCATION Social workers shall adhere to the NASW Standards for Continuing Professional Education and follow applicable licensing laws regarding continuing education delivered via electronic means. 22

WHAT CAME TO MIND IN AREA OF SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK? 23

PROFESSIONAL LITERATURE ON TECHNOLOGY AND ETHICS 24

LITERATURE: APPLICATION OF SOCIAL WORK ETHICS Confidentiality of records and communication �Duty to inform Boundary issues and potential dual relationships Professional competence in using technology Cultural competence & vulnerable populations Access to resources 25

EMAIL COMMUNICATIONS-PROS Parental communication Teacher communication Administrative communication Outside service providers Case management Supervision & consultation 26

EMAIL COMMUNICATION - CONS Ethical dilemma for school social workers who email students Fail to recognize email is a written document Confidentiality �Emails misdirected �Violating student trust by emailing parents and/or teacher 27

ELECTRONIC RECORDS Recording, storing, maintaining, using and transmitting electronic data according to legal and ethical requirements Use of appropriate procedures Is client informed Documentation of informed consent 28

ON-LINE IEP SYSTEMS-PROS Streamline Uniformity More efficient Easy to update Easy access by other school professionals Case management at a glance 29

ONLINE IEP SYSTEMS-CONS Glitches in computer system �Loss of information �Breaches �Inability to access Confidentiality �Unauthorized access �Updates that are specific to an individuals and become part of record 30

INTERNET ACCESS-PROS Easy availability of up-to-date research Connection to other school social workers �Support �Collaboration �Problem Solving �Collaboration Education on a variety of topics �Webinars 31

INTERNET ACCESS-CONS Students searching without supervision Students surfing without appropriate filters Students seeing other students’ confidential information 32

SOCIAL MEDIA Web based and mobile technologies Used as interactive dialogue Allows creation and exchange of user generated content Accounts for approximately 22% of time spent on line Total of 234 million people age 13 and older Sites 33

RISKS Boundary crossing and violations (NASW 1. 06) � Intentional and unintentional self disclosure � Friending a client � Acquaintance in common – boundary crossing Breaches of confidentiality(NASW 1. 07) No guarantee from Facebook that information will not become publically available 34

FERPA & HIPPA Loss of federal funds to any group that releases student information without parental consent Even when services are billed out to service providers and covered under HIPAA, records themselves protected under FERPA Some states provide greater security than required by federal law-be familiar with state laws Due to frequent changes in statutes and regulations these sites need to be checked often Document, document 35

WHAT ELSE GETS US IN TROUBLE Getting too comfortable Not considering unintended consequences of our actions Dual relationships Working with other professionals and school staff Not recognizing the complexity of the web Good intentions 36

QUESTIONS &COMMENTS 37

REFERENCES Duncan-Daston, R. , Hunger-Sloan, M. , & Fuller, E. (2013). Considering the ethical implications of social media in social work education. Ethics and Information Technology, 15(1), 35 -43. Franklin, C. ; Harris, M. B, & Allen-Meares, P. (2006). The school services sourcebook: school based professionals. NY: Oxford University Press. Lipschutz, R. (2010, Nov. 1). Ethics corner: To text or not to text. Retrieved from http: //www. naswil. org/news/network/featured/ethics-corner-to-text-or-not-to-text-ceu/ Mattison, M. (2006). Professional ethical codes: Applications to common ethical dilemmas. In Franklin et al. , pp. 921 -927. NASW & ASWB. (2005). Technology and Social Work Practice. Washington D. C. : NASW Press NASW(2006). Code of Ethics of National Association of Social Workers. Washington, DC: NASW Press Overcamp-Martini, M. A. (2006). The law, ethical guidelines, records, assessments, and reports for school-based practice. In Franklin et al. pp. 905 -912. Reamer, F. G. (2013). The digital and electronic revolution in social work: Rethinking the meaning of ethical practice. Ethics and Social Welfare, 7, 2 -19. School Social Work Site (2010, February 18). Technology and the School Social Worker. Retriieved from http: //. school socialworksite. com/2010/02/technology-and-school-social worker. html. Smiar, N. P. (2012, August). Technology, social media, and social work ethics. Presented at ABSW Training. Chicago, IL. A guide for 38