Employee’s Ethical Responsibilities to Clients:

 

Commitment to clients. Tierra Village employee’s primary responsibility is to promote the well-being of residents and program participants. However, legal obligations concerning mandatory reporting will supersede the loyalty owed to the residents and participants.

 

Self-determination. Tierra Village employees promote the rights of residents and participants toward self-determination and assist them in their efforts to identify and clarify their goals.

 

Informed Consent. Tierra Village employees should provide services to residents and participants only in the context of a professional relationship and on valid informed consent.

 

Competence. Tierra Village employees should provide services and represent themselves as competent only within the boundaries of their education, training, certification, or other relevant professional experience.

 

Cultural Competence and Social Diversity. Tierra Village employees should have a knowledge base of their residents and participants cultures and be able to demonstrate competence in the provision of services that are sensitive to their individual cultures and to differences among people and cultural groups.

 

Conflicts of Interest. Tierra Village employees should be alert to and avoid conflicts of interest that interfere with the exercise of professional discretion and impartial judgment. Residents and participants should be informed of a real or potential conflict of interest and the employee, in partnership with the Executive Director, take steps to correct the situation.

 

Privacy and Confidentiality. Tierra Village employees should respect residents and participants right to privacy. Private information should not be solicited unless it is essential to providing services. Information may be disclosed when appropriate with valid consent from the resident, participant, or a person legally authorized to consent on behalf of the individual.

 

Access to Records.  Tierra Village employees should provide residents and participants with reasonable access to their records. Careful attention should be paid to the type of information in files. Information that may cause a misunderstanding or harm, may need to be explained. This situation should be considered exceptional, and limited access to records should be avoided if possible and documented if there is an occurrence.

 

Sexual Relationships. Tierra Village employees should under no circumstances, engage in sexual activities or sexual contact with current or former residents and participants. This could include resident and participant relatives or other individuals with whom the resident/participant maintain a close personal relationship when there is a risk of exploitation or potential harm to the resident/participant.

 

Physical Contact.  Tierra Village employees should not engage in physical contact with residents/participants when there is a possibility of psychological harm to the individual as a result of the contact. Employees who engage in appropriate physical contact with residents/participants are responsible for setting clear, appropriate, and culturally sensitive boundaries that govern physical contact.

 

Sexual Harassment.  Tierra Village employees should not sexually harass residents/participants. Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to, sexual advances, sexual solicitation, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.

 

Derogatory Language. Tierra Village employees should not use derogatory language in their written or verbal communications to or about residents/participants. Employees should use accurate and respectful language in all communications to and about residents/participants.