Code of Ethics

Acknowledgements

iRecover Alberta would like to thank and acknowledge the Alberta College of Social Workers upon which our Code of Ethics is based on. iRecover Alberta desires to have the highest ethical standard for our staff and found these ethics to be challenging and a code to put iRecover Alberta in the highest category possible.

Thanks also the National Association of Social Workers and the Australian Association of Social Workers who have influenced the ACSW Code of Ethics

Purpose of the iRecover Alberta Code of Ethics

Ethical behavior lies at the core of every profession, but for an organization like iRecover Alberta, proper ethical behavior is essential. iRecover Alberta staff will all read this document and be reminded that part of their annual evaluation will be based on this code of ethics. The breaking of the code, whether big or small will be seen as equal and consequences will be severe. While this code of ethics are not going to watch over the iRecover Alberta staff, all staff members will be expected to live up to this code.

This document will looked at continually by the administration of iRecover Alberta and staffs input as well as law changes will determine future changes in this document. This document will be revised every January.

Preamble

iRecover Alberta is dedicated to the welfare and self- realization of all those who suffer with addictions and to help their families understand, what their loved ones are going through.

All iRecover Alberta staff is expected to be interested in the needs and the empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and in many cases living in poverty. All iRecover Alberta staff will be committed to human rights as enshrined in Canadian Law (a copy is in the office).

Because we live in a country like Canada, a country which respects diversity and freedom, all iRecover Alberta staff will not discriminate based on age, abilities, ethnic background, gender, language, marital status, national ancestry, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation or socio-economic status.

Values and Principles

iRecover Alberta staff will hold the following core values and principles:

Value 1: Respect for the Dignity and Worth of Persons
Value 2: Pursuit of Social Justice
Value 3: Service to Humanity
Value 4: Integrity of Professional Practice
Value 5: Confidentiality in Practice
Value 6: Competence in Practice

Value 1: Respect for the Dignity and Worth of Persons

iRecover Alberta is founded on the commitment that every person who struggles with addiction can be helped, if they want to be, and that every person who struggles with addiction is worth the time and the effort. iRecover Alberta staff will recognize and respect the diversity of the participants at iRecover Alberta and uphold their personal human rights.

Principles:

All iRecover Alberta staff will respect the unique worth and inherent dignity of all people and uphold their human rights.

iRecover Alberta staff will uphold each person’s right to self-determination, consistent with that person’s capacity and with the rights of others.
iRecover Alberta staff will respect the diversity among individuals in Canadian society and the right of individuals to their unique beliefs consistent with the rights of others.

iRecover Alberta staff will respect the participant’s right to make choices based on voluntary, informed consent.

iRecover Alberta staff will uphold the right of society to impose limitations on the self-determination of individuals, when such limitations protect individuals from self-harm and from harming others.

iRecover Alberta staff will uphold the right of every person to be free from violence or the threat of violence.

Value 2: Pursuit of Social Justice

All iRecover Alberta staff will offer resources to people or a group who may need them to receive the services and opportunities that they need for the overall benefit of humanity and to offer them protection from harm. All iRecover Alberta staff will oppose prejudice and discrimination against any person or group of persons, on any grounds, and challenge views that stereotype people and/or groups.

Principles:

iRecover Alberta staff will uphold the rights of people to have access to resources to meet basic human needs.

iRecover Alberta staff will advocate for fair and equitable access to public services and benefits. iRecover Alberta will advocate for equal treatment and protection under the law and challenge injustices, especially injustices that affect the vulnerable and disadvantaged.

Value 3: Service to Humanity

iRecover Alberta staff will uphold balance in life. When at work, it is expected that all iRecover Alberta staff will balance individual needs and rights and freedoms with collective interests in the service of humanity. When acting in a professional setting, all iRecover Alberta staff, will place professional service before personal goals or advantage, and use their power and authority in disciplined and responsible ways that serve the participants of iRecover Alberta.

Principles:

All iRecover Alberta staff will place the needs of others above self-interest when acting as a staff person.

All iRecover Alberta staff will use the power and authority that they have at the Ranch in responsible ways that serve the needs of the participants and the promotion of social justice. iRecover Alberta staff will use their knowledge and skills in bringing out fair resolutions to conflict with the participants and those that they love.

Value 4: Integrity in Practice

All iRecover Alberta staff will place the needs of others above self-interest when acting as a staff person.

All iRecover Alberta staff will use the power and authority that they have at the Ranch in responsible ways that serve the needs of the participants and the promotion of social justice. iRecover Alberta staff will use their knowledge and skills in bringing out fair resolutions to conflict with the participants and those that they love.

Principles:

iRecover Alberta staff will strive for impartiality, and refrain from imposing their personal values, views and preferences on all participants. iRecover Alberta staff will strive for Excellence in all areas and will not let something go by that they see needs to be dealt with. It is expected that all staff members will act with integrity in all areas of their lives in and outside iRecover Alberta. Actions that do not reflect integrity while the iRecover Alberta staff member is at work will result in disciplinary action. iRecover Alberta staff will demonstrate and promote the qualities of honesty, reliability, impartiality and diligence in their professional practice. iRecover Alberta staff will establish appropriate boundaries in relationships with participants and ensure that the relationship serves the needs of the participants while they are in treatment. It is expected that after treatment, iRecover Alberta staff will not have any business or personal relationship with former participants.

iRecover Alberta staff will value openness and transparency in their professional practice and avoid relationships where their integrity or impartiality may be comprised, ensuring that should a conflict of interest is unavoidable, the nature of the conflict is fully disclosed.

Value 5: Confidentiality in Practice

It is expected that all iRecover Alberta staff will show confidentiality with respect to all matters associated to their relationship with all of the participants. iRecover Alberta staff have deep trust placed in them by the participants, as well their communities and families by protecting the participants privacy and respecting the participants right to control when or whether this information will be shared. iRecover Alberta staff will only share information with an outsider of iRecover Alberta with permission that they are given by a participant. iRecover Alberta staff are expected to share information with a third party when disclosure is necessary to prevent serious, foreseeable and imminent harm to a participant or others. In all instances, it is expected that IRecover Alberta staff will only disclose the least amount of confidential information necessary to achieve the desired purpose.

Principles:

iRecover Alberta staff will respect the importance of the trust and confidence place in the professional relationship with participants.

All iRecover Alberta staff will respect the participant’s right to confidentiality of information shared in a professional context.

iRecover Alberta staff will only disclose confidential information with the informed consent of the participant or permission of the participant’s legal representative.

iRecover Alberta staff may break confidentiality and communicate participant information without permission when required or permitted by relevant laws, court order of this code.

Value 6: Competence in Practice

All iRecover Alberta staff will respect a participant’s right to competent and professional treatment at all times. iRecover Alberta staff will seek effective, innovative, relational treatment to ensure that all participants at iRecover Alberta are receiving the help that they want. All iRecover Alberta staff will be expected to be involved in on-going learning and improvement to make sure new skills, ideas, and practices are being learned to increase their competency to ensure that the program of the Ranch are always improving to help each and every participant find the sobriety that they are looking for at iRecover Alberta.

Principles:

All iRecover Alberta staff will uphold the rights of the participants to be offered the highest quality service possible.

All iRecover Alberta staff will strive to maintain and increase their professional know ledge and skill.

All iRecover Alberta staff will demonstrate due care for participant’s interests and safety by limiting professional practice to areas of demonstrated competence.

iRecover Alberta will be a place where those who are receiving education in addictions can come and do their educational placement so that they may grow from us and we can grow from them. This will in turn help us become a facility that is always growing and learning and seeking to be the best treatment centre that we can be. iRecover Alberta staff that engage in research will minimize risks to participants, ensure informed consent, maintain confidentiality at all times and accurately report the results of their studies.

Business and Marketing:

iRecover Alberta and its staff will maintain a high level of integrity in matters of business and marketing at all times. Business will be conducted in a fair, honest and ethical way. Clients will enter into business with iRecover Alberta out of their own free will. Business will be transparent and all parties involved will be fully aware of the terms and conditions prior to entering into an agreement. Marketing of services provided by iRecover Alberta will be done in an honest, transparent and deliverable way.

Exchange of gifts, money and gratuities

(Individual staff members)

No staff member of iRecover Alberta will accept gifts, money or gratuities from participants or their families. All treatment costs are covered by the participant’s treatment fee. Individual staff members giving or accepting gifts, money or gratuities, to or from a participant will be subject to disciplinary action.

Individual fundraising:

iRecover Alberta and its staff do not partake in individual fundraising. Funds are generated by participants entry fees and payments received for services provided by iRecover Alberta face-to-face or online. No staff member is permitted to partake in individual fundraising efforts on behalf of iRecover Alberta.