South Carolina Code of Regulations
Chapter 115 - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR, LICENSING AND REGULATION-BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN SPEECH/LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY
Article 3 - CODE OF ETHICS
Section 115-7 - Code of Ethics

PRINCIPLE 1: Individuals shall provide professional services with honesty and compassion, and shall respect the dignity, worth and rights of those served.

Rule1a: Individuals shall not limit the delivery of professional services on any basis that is unjustifiable or irrelevant to the need for the potential benefit from such services.

Rule1b: Individuals shall not discriminate in the provision of services to individuals on the basis of gender, race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or general health.

Rule1c: Individuals shall not engage in sexual activity with a patient or client or with a person who has been a patient or client to whom services were provided within the past two (2) years.

PRINCIPLE2: Individuals shall maintain high standards of professional competence in rendering services, providing only those professional services for which they are qualified by education and experience.

Rule2a: Individuals shall use available resources including referrals to other specialists, and shall not accept benefits or items of personal value for receiving or making referral.

Rule2b: Individuals shall exercise all reasonable precautions to avoid injury to persons in the delivery of professional services.

Rule2c: Individuals shall not provide services except in a professional relationship.

Rule2d: Individuals shall provide appropriate supervision and assume full responsibility for services delegated to supportive personnel. Individuals shall not delegate any service requiring professional competence to unqualified persons.

Rule2e: Individuals shall not permit personnel to engage in any practice that is a violation of the Code of Ethics.

Rule 2f: Individuals shall maintain professional competence, including participation in continuing education.

PRINCIPLE3: Individuals shall maintain the confidentiality of the information and records of those receiving services.

Rule 3a: Individuals shall not reveal to unauthorized persons any professional or personal information obtained from the person served professionally, unless required by law.

PRINCIPLE4: Individuals shall honor their responsibility to the public by promoting public understanding of the profession, by supporting the development of services designed to fulfill the unmet needs of the public, and by providing accurate information in all communication involving any aspect of the professions.

Rule4a: Individuals shall not misrepresent their credentials, competence, education, training, or experience.

Rule4b: Individuals shall not participate in professional activities that constitute a conflict of interest.

Rule4c: Individuals shall not misrepresent diagnostic information, services rendered, or products dispensed or engage in any scheme or artifice to defraud in connection with obtaining payment or reimbursement for such services or products.

Rule4d: Individuals' statements to the public shall provide accurate information about the nature and management of communication disorders, about the professions, and about professional services.

Rule 4e: Individuals' statements to the public - advertising, announcing, and marketing their professional services, reporting research results, and promoting products - shall adhere to prevailing professional standards and shall not contain misrepresentations.

PRINCIPLE5: Individuals shall provide accurate information about the nature and management of communicative disorders and about the services and products offered.

Rule5a: Individuals shall provide persons served with the information a reasonable person would want to know about the nature and possible effects of services rendered, or products provided.

Rule5b: Individuals may make a statement of prognosis, but shall not guarantee results, mislead, or misinform persons served.

Rule5c: Individuals shall not carry out teaching or research activities in a manner that constitutes an invasion of privacy, or that fails to inform persons fully about the nature and possible effects of these activities, affording all persons informed free choice of participation.

Rule 5d: Individuals shall maintain documentation of professional services rendered.

PRINCIPLE6: Individuals shall honor their responsibilities to the professions and their relationships with colleagues, students, and members of allied professions, maintain harmonious interprofessional and intra professional relationships and adopt the professions' self-imposed standards.

Rule6a: Individuals shall prohibit anyone under their supervision from engaging in any practice that violates the Code of Ethics.

Rule6b: Individuals shall not engage in dishonesty, fraud, deceit misrepresentation, or any form of conduct that adversely reflects on the professions or on the individual's fitness to serve persons professionally.

Rule6c: Individuals shall assign credit only to those who have contributed to a publication, presentation or product. Credit shall be assigned in proportion to the contribution and only with the contributors consent.

Rule6d: Individuals' statements to colleagues about professional services, research results, and products shall adhere to prevailing professional standards and shall contain no misrepresentations.

Rule6e: Individuals shall not discriminate in their relationships with colleagues, students and members of the allied professions on the basis of race or ethnicity, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability.

Rule6f: Individuals who have reason to believe that the Code of Ethics has been violated shall inform the board.

Rule 6g: Individuals shall cooperate fully with the board in its investigation and adjudication of matters related to the Code of Ethics.