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Member Code of Ethics

AABH adheres to strict expectations for personal and professional conduct.

All members of the Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare are to be concerned with the ethical practice of treatment, and shall utilize this document as a springboard for determining the scope of practice within their individual programs and the programs with which they come in contact.

A code of ethics for programs representative of ambulatory behavioral healthcare is designed to advance the highest standards for professional conduct. A code of ethics establishes parameters that define individual as well as programmatic conduct in the areas of development and implementation, marketing and advertising, and evaluation and treatment of individuals who are vulnerable and their significant others within the array of programs and services comprising the continuum of ambulatory behavioral healthcare.

This code of ethics is not intended to replace an individual’s responsibility to his/her professional or academic identification and that Association or Academy’s own code of ethical behavior. Nor is it intended to supplant the responsibility of the program and/or parent organization and its administration to ethical deportment as prescribed by licensing, accrediting, and regulatory bodies. Rather, it is designed to describe specific ethical guidelines particular to the treatment modalities represented by membership in AABH.

This code of ethics reflects the importance of and respect for the fundamental human, civil, constitutional, and statutory rights of each individual with whom members and their employees have contact.

This code of ethics applies equally to individuals as well as the member organizations, programs, and agencies for whom they provide professional services.

This Code of Ethics was adopted by an overwhelming majority of the AABH membership by mail referendum in August of 1996. Thank you to all who participated in the development and extensive field testing of this very important document. A code of ethics determines unethical behavior as well.

As such this document can serve an appellate purpose in cases involving grievance or questionable practice. Violations of this ethical code may provide the basis for the initiation of disciplinary proceedings and the imposition of sanctions up to and including expulsion from membership in the Association, reporting to state licensure Board(s), reporting as required by the Health Care Quality Improvement Act, and applicable professional Associations.

Overall, we as professionals working with populations that are vulnerable bear responsibility for careful realization of personal, programmatic, organizational, financial, and/or political situations and pressures that might lead to the misuse of our influence. In subscribing to this code of ethics, we accept this responsibility, and abide by a commitment to cooperate in its implementation and regulation.

NOTE: Failure to respond to and cooperate fully with official notification from the AABH Ethics Committee of an investigation at any point in this process shall be reason for expulsion from the Association for a period of not less than two years.