This week I am discussing Technology-Mediated Practice at the Micro Level. I will be discussing the reading by Fredric Reamer on Social Work Boundary Issues in the Digital Age.   I chose the example of the clinical social worker at a mental health center that provided services to a woman who was involved in a protracted child custody dispute with her estranged husband. The client disclosed abuse and the husband was arrested.  The social worker noted several inconsistencies in the client’s version of events and considered looking online for information about these incidents to verify the clients’ reports. The social worker was reflecting on whether it was ethical to conduct an online search for information about clients without their knowledge or consent.

Deciding to search for information about clients or investigate inconsistencies is unprofessional and unnecessary. Whether a client has is telling the truth or not, it’s not the job of the social worker to investigate. There are other entities involved, handling investigative measures regarding legal and criminal matters. The social worker’s responsibility is to create a safe place for the client to be transparent and resolve issues that they are facing. The NASW code of ethics, on social workers responsibility to clients’ privacy and confidentiality forbids this behavior. It states social workers should respect clients’ right to privacy. Social workers should not solicit private information from or about clients except for compelling professional reasons (NASW, 2017). I think the correct remedy to the situation is to ask the client to clarify the inconsistencies. This way you are protecting the privacy of the client and protecting yourself from legal or disciplinary actions. Reamer explained that disgruntled clients can file a lawsuit regarding professional negligence or file a licensing board complaint alleging violation of ethical standards (Reamer, 2023).

The boundary dynamic I decided to discuss was Altruism. Altruism is the principle or practice of being unselfish or devoting oneself to welfare or others. I picked this principle because I feel that I am very altruistic is nature and I tend to put needs of others before me. When a social worker has altruistic characteristics, they must establish boundaries. A social worker can have pure intention and something as simple as support can be twisted into inappropriate behaviors. For example, I had a colleague that got reprimanded because she tried to prohibit a child from going into foster care. My agency placed a child in a home with a relative, the relative decided that they did not want to keep the child because the biological mother was not sharing the social security benefits. My colleague negotiated with the Bio-mother to pay her $200 dollars. The relative live far away to so my colleague took the money and transferred it to the relative. This was deemed as an inappropriate transaction, but my colleague had good intentions. Reamer explains that social workers who are extraordinarily kind and humane may unwittingly foster challenging dual and multiple relationships by engaging in informal online and other electronic communications with clients (Reamer, 2023).  In my opinion, it is okay to have the nature ability to care for clients, but it must be in the parameters of your profession. Alexander & Charles explain that crossing these boundaries results in a dual relationship. Dual relationships in this sense are those in which ‘the social worker has a professional relationship with a client, and a simultaneous relationship with the client as business partner or friend (Alexander, 2009). According to the NASW it is unethical to operate in dual relationships. Alexander & Charles explained that the risk is therapeutic efficacy to treatment and client vulnerabilities being subjected to harm (Alexander, 2009).

I believe that social media policy is needed for the privacy of the client and the practitioner. I would include information clarifying boundaries. I would explain that I will not accept friend/follow requests from clients on personal accounts, to protect professional boundaries. I will advise that they can only follow professional pages. I would define acceptable digital communication methods and appropriate hours of communication.  I would advise that clients can engage with professional pages (likes/ comments), but comments may be monitored/removed if they disclose personal information. I believe that this strategy would be effective because it set the boundaries for the profession relationship in a digital environment.

References

Alexander C, & Charles G. (2009). Caring, mutuality and reciprocity in social worker — client relationships: rethinking principles of practice. Journal of Social Work, 9(1), 5–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017308098420

National Association of Social Workers. (2021). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English/Social-Workers-Ethical-Responsibilities-to-Clients

Reamer, F. G. (2023). Social Work Boundary Issues in the Digital Age: Reflections of an Ethics Expert.