Ethics

Psychologists

Section 6.3 of the Board of Psychological Examiners Adminstrative Rules adopts both the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct and the Code of Conduct of the Assocation for State and Provincial Psychology Boards (“ASPPB”) as guides to conduct and practice.  Conduct which violates these ethical principles and codes (or any successor code) constitutes unprofessional conduct under 26 V.S.A. § 3016(9) and § 3016(10).

Vermont statutes also specifically define examples of unprofessional conduct that apply specifically to psychologists (26 V.S.A. § 3016) and that apply to any professional licensee (3 V.S.A. § 129a).  The use of conversion therapy on minors (under the age of 18) is also defined as unprofessional conduct.  (18 V.S.A. § 8353).

You can find more information about the applicable rules and statutes on the Board of Psychological Examiners’ web page.

Allied Mental Health

The Vermont Board of Allied Mental Health governs practice for licensed mental health counselors, licensed marriage & family therapists, and non-certified, non-licensed psychotherapists (rostered).

The Board has adopted the National Board for Certified Counselors Code of Ethics,  the American Counseling Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy Code of Ethics as guides to the standards of practice; those codes are incorporated by references into the Board’s administratives rules in Section 6.6.

There are specific definitions of unprofessional conduct that apply to licensed mental health counselors (26 V.S.A. § 3271), licensed marriage & family therapists (26 V.S.A. § 4042), and rostered psychotherapists (26 V.S.A. § 4093) in addition to those that apply to all licensees (see above).

You can find more information about rules and statutes that apply to licensed mental health counselors and other professions at the Board of Allied Mental Health’s web page.

Clinical Social Workers

The Vermont Office of Professional Regulation has adopted the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers through Section 9.1(b) of OPR’s Administrative Rules.

There are specific definitions of unprofessional conduct that apply to licensed clinical social workers (26 V.S.A. § 3210), as well as those that apply to all licensees (see above).

You can find more information about rules and statutes that apply to licensed mental health counselors at the Office of Professional Regulation’s website.