Professional Ethics

Clear ethical principles guide a professional’s responsibilities to the public, to service recipients, and to colleagues within and outside of the field. Applicants must acknowledge they have read the Code of Ethical Conduct referenced in the online application and agree to abide by the policies of ethical conduct for the credentials in which they are applying. All certified professionals must continue to adhere to the Code of Ethical Conduct as part of their professional practice.

• Download the Tennessee Code of Ethical Conduct for Prevention Professionals (PDF)
  
• Download the Tennessee Code of Professional Ethics for Alcohol and Drug Counselors (PDF)
  

Ethics Enforcement and Violations

If an applicant or certified professional is found to have violated any part of the ethical code of conduct, the violation will be brought to the attention of the Executive Director, who will notify the Board of Directors. The TCB Board will appoint an ad hoc Ethical Review Committee to consider all ethics violations on a case-by-case basis, with additional input by the applicant in question. The committee will recommend appropriate action—whether the candidate should go forward in the certification process, or whether an already certified professional should retain his/her credentialed status.

Appeals Process

TCB will provide applicants (clients) with an opportunity to appeal any disciplinary decision and request a formal review of their case if they are dissatisfied with the Board’s decision. The Executive Director shall maintain documentation of grievances and appeals.

The appeal should be stated in writing and submitted to the Board President within a reasonable amount of time following the receipt of the decision. Barring unavoidable delays, 30 days will be considered a reasonable amount of time for requesting review. Any appeal will be reviewed among the entire TCB Board of Directors and a final decision will be made regarding appropriate action.

Felonies & Disciplinary Actions

While felonies and disciplinary actions from other certification/licensing entities may not prohibit certification, documentation is required to be submitted at the time of application. Certification through the Board does not mean a professional should not disclose this information to potential employers and does not in any way exonerate charges.