Community Research Foundation Ethical Principles

These ethical principles are based upon the Code of Ethics of the International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services (IAPSRS) and are consistent with the fundamental values of the Psychiatric Rehabilitation field and profession. They will serve as the guiding principles underlying all aspects of decision-making and service delivery throughout the CRF organization. All staff (whether employees, consultants, interns, or volunteers) are expected to use these principles as a guide in their conduct with clients, colleagues, and the community.

1. CRF staff members treat all clients and their family members, all colleagues, and other community members with courtesy, dignity and respect.
2. CRF staff members work in partnership with their clients to honor the strengths, abilities, needs, and preferences of individual clients, inviting their full participation in the development of goals, and selection of services and activities to meet those goals.
3. CRF staff members embrace family-centered practice. They recognize the value of including the client's family members, as appropriate, in planning, developing, and striving toward the client's goals.
4. CRF staff members continually further their knowledge of cultural differences in order to more thoroughly assess and interact with clients and family members in culturally appropriate ways, and ways which maximize recovery opportunities for diverse individuals.
5. CRF staff members invite input and feedback from all persons served, and personally take responsibility for addressing the issues and/or communicating such feedback through proper channels within the organization, in order to promptly and completely address complaints, and continually raise the level of quality of the services throughout the organization.
6. CRF staff members seek consultation from colleagues and supervisors any time such counsel is in the best interests of clients.
7. CRF staff members stay current with developments in the field of psychosocial rehabilitation for adults, and family-centered wraparound services for children and youth, and seek to integrate such learning into their practice in CRF programs.
8. CRF staff members take every opportunity to raise awareness of the stigma of mental illness and undertake efforts to decrease this stigma and eliminate attitudinal barriers.
9. CRF staff members adhere to the legal and ethical standards of their professions, and know and work within the limitations and scope of practice of their discipline/license. As a guide to professional conduct for all employees, volunteers, interns, and consultants, CRF adopts the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.