The Utah Association of Health Organizations (UHBO) and its member facilities believe and endorse the concept that alcoholism and chemical dependence are complex family illnesses in which an individual’s ingestion of alcohol and/or chemicals seriously and repeatedly interferes with health, job performance, family welfare and interpersonal relations.
We believe that a person with alcoholism and or chemical dependence cannot return to the use of alcohol or other mood-altering chemicals. Return to such use is viewed as a relapse in the recovery process. Primary goals in treatment are to help assure that the individual strives for sustaining abstinence and together with family, seeks a more meaningful, satisfying and productive way of life in recovery.
Just as personal responsibility and accountability are underscored in treatment for the recovery process, UBHO treatment providers shall assume such responsibility and accountability in their provision of treatment services, management practices, staff relationships, relationships with other publics and marketing. Further, UBHO providers, member organizations, individual members and associate members will engage in and do business only with other like-minded partners and organizations who themselves also abide by these basic ethical practices and standards.
To help assure such responsibility and accountability, the Utah Association of Behavioral Health Organizations has this Code of Ethics. This code of generally acceptable ethical practices is seen as a dynamic statement that has the acceptance of each member and each associate member upon joining the association.
- Specific admission and referral criteria are developed and adhered to for every level of service provided.
- Quality treatment services are provided that appropriately meet the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the patient and family.
- Treatment programs enhance the dignity and protect the human and legal rights of the patient and family.
- Continuing care (or “aftercare”) services are considered essential to the continuum of care.
- Governing authority clearly states organizational goals and objectives.
- Staff members who subscribe to the professional standards of their respective fields provide interdisciplinary team treatment.
- Treatment facilities develop relationships with other health care providers to assure they are an integral part of a community’s health care services system.
- Fee structures are made available to the public.
- Treatment facilities do not discriminate against any person for any services provided on the basis of race, creed, sex or national origin.
- Treatment facilities recognize that ongoing internal evaluation of care is essential.
- All applicable local, state and federal life safety, occupational safety and health and fire codes are met.
- When a facility serves the handicapped, they are assured accessibility and maneuverability.
- The treatment facility’s environment enhances the human dignity and rights of patients.
- Positive community relationships are developed and nurtured.
- There is cultivation of good relationships and communications with related public and private agencies, associations and institutions.
Financial rewards for patient referrals:
- No financial rewards or substantive gifts are offered for patient referrals.
- Treatment providers may refer families or individuals to a variety of treatment or recovery support professionals which includes: interventionists, continuing care providers, monitoring agencies, and/or referral sources that offer services to patients prior to or after any treatment. However, in no case should treatment providers make payment or compensation to these individuals or organizations in exchange for patient referrals – neither in the form of direct payment, consulting contracts, large gifts, nor other forms of remuneration or compensation.
Deceptive advertising or marketing practices:
- Treatment providers will not engage in deceptive or misleading advertising or marketing practices.
- UBHO members and member organizations will provide information on their advertising, websites and in their collateral marketing materials about the general location of their facility or facilities, the credentials of their staff, and the length of stay in their programs.
- In addition, UBHO members and member organizations will not utilize any form of false or misleading advertising, engage in “patient brokering” and will not exploit patients and/or families particularly for the purpose of promoting their programs. Members and member organizations will not engage in competitive practices that are unduly predatory and/or destructive to a collaborative marketplace.
Exposing Clients’ Identities for Marketing Purposes
- Treatment providers will not exploit their clients’ rights to privacy for the purpose of promoting or marketing their programs.
- UBHO members and member organizations hold sacred the shared value of our patients’ rights to privacy. Client’s identities may not be revealed by a treatment provider in the form of photographic images, video images, media coverage, or in marketing testimonials at any time during the client’s engagement in treatment.
- Member advertising shall not include representatives, including unsubstantiated representations, that would be false or deceptive within the meaning of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 USC Section 45 (1982).