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<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".02" citation="COMAR 10.41.02.02" title_num="10" subtitle_num="41" chapter_num="02" heading="Ethical Responsibilities.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>The licensee shall consider paramount the welfare of individuals served professionally.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Necessary Training. The licensee shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Obtain proper training for the services the licensee provides; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Be prepared to document, at the request of the Board, any training obtained.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Professional Conduct.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The licensee may not be represented by titles which are not consistent with training.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The licensee shall follow acceptable patterns of professional conduct in relationship with the individuals served and engage in only the aspects of the profession that are within the scope of the licensee's competence.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>The licensee may not guarantee the result of a speech-language or hearing consultation or therapeutic procedure. A guarantee of any sort expressed or implied, oral or written, is contrary to professional ethics. The licensee may make a reasonable statement of the anticipated results, but, because successful results are dependent on many factors, a warranty is deceptive and unethical.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The licensee may not diagnose or treat individual speech or hearing disorders by correspondence. This does not preclude follow-up by correspondence with individuals previously seen. It also does not preclude providing the persons served professionally with general information of an educational nature.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>The licensee may not reveal to unauthorized persons professional or personal information about the individual professionally served without appropriate permission from that individual, unless required by law.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>The licensee may not exploit individuals served professionally by:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Accepting them for treatment when benefit cannot reasonably be expected to accrue;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Continuing treatment unnecessarily;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Charging for services not rendered;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Failing to fully inform the individual served of the nature and possible effects of services rendered, or products dispensed, or both;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Misrepresenting services rendered, or products dispensed, or both; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>Failing to obtain informed consent to use the individual served for research or as subjects of teaching demonstrations.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>Licensees may not refuse to treat based upon:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Race;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Religion;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Color;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Age;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>National origin;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>Marital status;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>Sexual orientation;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(h)">
        <text>Gender identity; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(i)">
        <text>Disability.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>The licensee shall use every resource available, including referral to other specialists as needed, to effect maximal improvements in the individuals served.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>The licensee shall take every precaution to avoid harm to the individual served professionally.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Sexual Misconduct.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>An audiologist, audiology assistant, hearing aid dispenser, speech-language pathologist, speech-language pathology assistant, or music therapist may not engage in sexual misconduct in the practice of audiology, hearing aid dispensing,  speech-language pathology, or music therapy.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Sexual misconduct includes, but is not limited to:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Sexual behavior with an individual served in the context of a professional evaluation, treatment, procedure, or other service to the client or patient, regardless of the setting in which the professional service is provided;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Sexual behavior with an individual served under the pretense of diagnostic or therapeutic intent or benefit;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>A sexual relationship, whether consensual or non-consensual, with an individual served;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Making sexual advances toward an individual served or requesting sexual favors;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Therapeutically inappropriate or intentional touching in a sexual manner of an individual served;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(f)">
        <text>Physical contact of a sexual nature with an individual served;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(g)">
        <text>Therapeutically unnecessary discussion of sexual matters or other verbal conduct of a sexual nature while treating the individual being served;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(h)">
        <text>Directly or indirectly watching the individual served while the individual is undressing or dressing when it is not part of the therapeutic process;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(i)">
        <text>Taking, for sexual purposes, photographs or video- tapes of an individual served;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(j)">
        <text>Sexual harassment of staff or students; or</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(k)">
        <text>Sexual contact with an incompetent or unconscious individual being served.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>Penalties. Violation of Regulation .02 may result in Board action to reprimand the licensee, place the licensee on probation, or suspend or revoke the licensee's license. The Board may also impose a penalty not exceeding $5,000.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>