A handbook for mental health counselors in Arizona on ethics and law

The purpose of this study was the production of a handbook on ethics and law for mental health counselors in Arizona. The handbook is the summation of information from: professional literature, state statutes, professional codes of ethics, state agencies, a survey of Arizona counselors, evaluations by practicing counselors and graduate students in counseling, and personal interviews. A survey of Arizona Counselors Association members was conducted by a mailed questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire was to identify and assess typical counseling practices and to determine the perceived usefulness of the proposed handbook. Results of the survey indicate that respondent counselors' typical practices do not vary substantially from one Arizona metropolitan area to the next and that almost all of them would find the handbook useful. Some of the evaluators' suggestions for modifications of the proposed handbook have been incorporated in the version which is Appendix A to this thesis.