A counselor treating a 16-year-old emancipated minor who reports being sexually abused at age 14 by a neighbor should respond by:

Prepare for the LPCC Law and Ethics Test 2. Use flashcards and multiple-choice questions with explanations. Enhance your understanding of ethics and legal standards for effective counseling practice.

Multiple Choice

A counselor treating a 16-year-old emancipated minor who reports being sexually abused at age 14 by a neighbor should respond by:

When a counselor learns about sexual abuse of a minor, the obligation to report overrides confidentiality. This is a mandated reporting duty designed to protect children and connect them with needed supports, and it applies regardless of when the abuse occurred or the client’s current wishes about disclosure. In this scenario, the client is 16 years old, an emancipated minor, who reports abuse by a neighbor that happened when she was 14. Although the abuse happened in the past, it involved a minor and the potential for ongoing risk or residual harm. Therefore, the counselor should promptly report the incident to the appropriate authorities (typically child protective services or law enforcement) and proceed with the mandated steps. Before reporting, you should inform the client about the limits of confidentiality and the necessity of reporting, and then make the report while continuing to provide support and safety planning. Documentation should reflect what was disclosed and the actions taken. This approach protects the client and fulfills ethical and legal requirements.

When a counselor learns about sexual abuse of a minor, the obligation to report overrides confidentiality. This is a mandated reporting duty designed to protect children and connect them with needed supports, and it applies regardless of when the abuse occurred or the client’s current wishes about disclosure.

In this scenario, the client is 16 years old, an emancipated minor, who reports abuse by a neighbor that happened when she was 14. Although the abuse happened in the past, it involved a minor and the potential for ongoing risk or residual harm. Therefore, the counselor should promptly report the incident to the appropriate authorities (typically child protective services or law enforcement) and proceed with the mandated steps.

Before reporting, you should inform the client about the limits of confidentiality and the necessity of reporting, and then make the report while continuing to provide support and safety planning. Documentation should reflect what was disclosed and the actions taken. This approach protects the client and fulfills ethical and legal requirements.

More practice questions