HSV400 Ethical and Legal Issues in

Human Services

Ethical/Legal Issues Paper

For this assignment, you will select a controversial issue from the list of suggested topics and discuss

how it relates to working in the human services field. You must conduct a search of the available

literature (with emphasis on peer-reviewed journal articles) surrounding the selected topic. This paper
th

In this paper, please be sure to provide background information on the controversy surrounding the topic,

addressing all views, and how it would relate to your work in the human services field. How would your

values and beliefs about this issue impact your work? How would you go about avoiding issues of

malpractice when working with a client experiencing this first hand? Is there countertransference you

may struggle with?

In addition to addressing the above questions, please be sure to develop a case study that is relevant to

your topic and identify the specific steps you would take in working with that client. Be sure to include

information about the client’s race and ethnicity, religious beliefs (if any), family structure, relevant values

and beliefs as well as the presenting issue.

Remember to evaluate all aspects of the case—i.e. Does the issue fall under Duty to Warn? Is this a

situation that might require a referral to Child Protection Services? Take on the perspective of a

Human Services provider and be sure to fully address all concerns that might be raised.

Here are some possible issues that your client may be presenting with that you choose to discuss.

The issues have been organized by different categories:

Family Issues: • A person leaving his/her partner to pursue an affair

• An interracial couple seeking premarital counseling

• A person who admittedly abuses his/her partner

• A parent who talks about LEGALLY using marijuana while supervising their children

• A same-sex couple who is seeking to adopt

Social

Issues: • A transgender person looking for counseling to address depression

• A person who is considering involuntary hospitalization of a mentally ill or handicapped family

member

• A person who admits to having an addiction to pornography

• A woman who is considering having an abortion

• A person whose political views are polar opposite of yours Criminal Issues:

• A person considering euthanasia or physician-assisted

• suicide A person who has admitted to molesting children in

• the past

• A person who has been released from prison after committing a

• murder A minor who admits to using illegal drugs

An undocumented worker facing discrimination in the work place

If you want to choose a topic not on the list, it must be approved by the course instructor.

Requirements

You must use at minimum 3 scholarly resources for this policy paper. Wikipedia, Ask.com, and other

non- scholarly sources of information will not be accepted. If you are in doubt about the reliability of a

resource, ask your instructor.

Topics that must be addressed in this policy paper include

1. Background information on the controversy surrounding the topic. You must include a look at

historical milestones/social policies pertaining to your chosen topic, including a discussion on the

goal of the policies and their impact on the human services field and society.

2. Discussion of the different views of the issue

3. How the issue will relate to your work in the field

4. How your values and beliefs about this issue will impact your work

5. Relevant case study

6. Discussion of the steps you would take in working with the client

Grading Rubric for Legal/Ethical Issues

Paper
CRITERIA

Deficient (0 –

23 Points)
Development

Needed (24 – 27

Points)

Proficient (28 –

30 Points)
Exemplary

(31 – 34 Points)
Total

Points

Structure:
Well-developed

paragraphs,
complete sentences,

title page, body of work

meets
requirements,

references,
followed the

example specifically

Organizational structure

and
paragraphing have

serious and persistent
errors. Directions were

ignored and
information provided

was insufficient to meet

assignment guidelines.

Written work inadequate

for
college-level work;
Paragraphing and

transitions are

inadequate;
inappropriate

guidelines outlined for

paper were not
met with several

problems (see

directions).

Written work is clear and

adequate college- level

work;
Paragraphing and

transitions are
adequate; appropriate
guidelines outlined for
paper were met with a

few noted problems (see

directions).

Written work is clear

and excellent
college-level work;
Paragraphing and

transitions are clear
and appropriate;

appropriate
guidelines outlined
for paper were met

(see directions).

/33

Deficient (0 –

23 Points)
Development

Needed (24 – 27

Points)

Proficient (28 –

30 Points)
Exemplary

(31 – 33 Points)

Content:
Demonstrates

knowledge of
topics, through

discussion of concepts,
appropriate

integrate of topics on

directions;
scholarly journal use

Written work does not

cover the assigned
topic; assertions are not

supported by
evidence; paper is

seriously lacking in content

and detail;
scholarly journals were not

used or used properly.

Written work does

not do an adequate
job of covering the

assigned topic;
assertions are

weakly supported by
evidence; paper is

inadequate in
meeting the page and

content area
requirements; less than

3 scholarly
journals were used.

The length of the written

work is
sufficient to cover the topic;

assertions are
supported by evidence; does

not meet full
required number of

pages and content areas.
3 scholarly journals were

used.

The length of the

written work
provides in-depth

coverage of the
topics, assertions are

clearly
supported by evidence;

Paper meets required

length of
pages and content

areas; 3 or more
scholarly journals

were used.

/34

Mechanics:
Spelling; grammar; use

of APA style

Written work had serious

and persistent errors in

word
selection and use;

sentence structure,

spelling, grammar,
punctuation was

inappropriate and with

serious errors; APA
style was completely

unacceptable.

Written work had several

major errors
in word selection and

use; sentence
structure, spelling,

grammar,
punctuation was

inappropriate; APA style

was
unacceptable with a

few to multiple errors.

Written work was

generally free of errors in

word selection and
use; sentence structure,

spelling, grammar,
punctuation was

adequate; APA style was

acceptable with a few errors.

Written work has no

major errors in
word selection and

use; sentence
structure, spelling,

grammar,
punctuation was

appropriate; APA style

was
acceptable with no to

few errors.

/33

Total Points: /100