Potential Gifts From Clients on Social Media
Post Series: Ethics Scenario Archive
- 1.Approaching Former Adult Client
- 2.Medical Marijuana
- 3.Pro Bono Work
- 4.Supervision Has Multiple Relationships with Family Receiving Services
- 5.Parent Training Concerns
- 6.Parents Not Implementing Procedures
- 7.Soliciting Parent Testimonials
- 8.Retaliation Towards Mandated Reporting
- 9.Family Rejecting Safety Measures
- 10.Parental Collaboration
- 11.Hostile Work Enviornment
- 12.Creating Protocol to Prevent and Treat Trauma with Limited Functional Language
- 13.Parent ABA Practice Questions in OT & Speech
- 14.Potential Gifts From Clients on Social Media
- 15.Helping Close Relationships With ABA Tips
- 16.Parent Utilizing CBD & THC
- 17.Client Pre-Authorization Denied For Much Needed Services
- 18.Supervisee Slaps Child in School Setting
- 19.Changing Direction of Treatment from Previous BCBA
- 20.BCBA Subpoenaed in Family Court
- 21.Terminate Services Due To Parent Behavior
- 22.Parents Offering Token Items During Check Out/Transition
- 23.Family Doesn’t Want Details Released To Funding Source Without Permission
- 24.Resources for IRB Approval for Independent Researchers
- 25.Speech Therapist Refusing To Do PECS
- 26.BCBA Receives Cease & Desist
- 27.Unlicensed, Certified BCBA Provide Supervision
Scenario
You are starting to build your online presence, and network with other professionals via Facebook and Instagram. You are judicious in checking your security settings, and only add people that you know are in the field. That being said, you do not have a personal connection with all of your online “friends.” One day, on Instagram, you see an online friend post a picture, with a “friend” (online only) holding a bottle of alcohol and stating that it was a gift from a client. Do you seek clarification because it appears to be a violation of multiple relationships? Should you ask if it is an ABA client, or otherwise? Should you just mind your own business?
Response
- Confirmation that it is a behavior analyst and seek for clarification on if the gift was from an ABA client
- Send message for clarification sooner than later and take a screen shot of the initial post for evidence to support the claim
- Message should state how the photo was interpreted and that it may be interpreted by other professionals in the same way
- 7.02- reporting guidelines; 1.06 not receiving gifts; 10.02 timely responding 30 days of the date
- second component- is this a reportable offense, first approach the person, then employer/supervisor, then BACB (and AzBoPE is appropriate) if the matter meets reporting requirements