The OPA Ethics Committee offers consultation regarding concerns about professional ethics. They offer a collaborative discussion in which members can think through the ethical issues of a situation, supporting the clarification of the relevant APA ethics principles and codes. They may help identify legal issues and refer to Paul Cooney, OPA’s general counsel. Consultations may also illuminate other clinical concerns that result in encouragement to consult with the Confidential Peer Support Committee.

The mission of the Confidential Peer Support Committee is to provide members with consultation on a range of issues, including conflicts with colleagues, clinical concerns, potential complaints or lawsuits, venting, concern about impairment, client suicide, colleague behavior, family conflicts, problems in the business of psychology, and any distress affecting the capacity or enjoyment for work. We are here to provide support and help avert impairment. Although these experiences may also be informed by guidelines and principles of the APA ethics code, our focus is not specific or limited to the code of conduct.

Imagine consultation with the Ethics Committee around a concern. The relevant ethics code will have been identified and an ethical course of action may follow. You may still have questions about how to approach resolution with your client, colleague, student/supervisee, or the family member of a former client, to name a few. The Confidential Peer Support Committee can focus in more depth on the clinical issues that are relevant regarding how to ethically, compassionately, and respectfully take action. We can assist in identifying relevant multi-cultural considerations, clinical considerations including diagnostic profile, and countertransference or emotional reactivity issues that may be obscuring an ethical, professional, and responsible path forward. We are likely to provide confirmation that a well thought out clinical response has been identified. as we often find psychologists who contact us have identified a range of issues to consider but want collegial reassurance and validation of their thinking process. We can also offer commiseration around the stress involved in managing an ethical conundrum.

We hope that you will contact us to discuss the issues that may cause distress, uncertainty, emotional reactivity, or confusion. We will also likely recommend additional consultation with our Ethics Committee colleagues, OPA attorney, and other resources we have identified for specific situations.