A Way Forward With Multicultural Considerations, Advocacy, and Accessibility Across the 2023 Revised Code of Professional Ethics for Rehabilitation Counselor Educators and Practitioners

Abstract

While the 2017 version of the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification (CRCC) Code of Ethics engrained diversity considerations across the 12 main sections of professional practice, more explicit ethical expectations related to multicultural competence are needed to govern the future of rehabilitation counseling practice. The 2023 revised CRCC Code of Ethics will include a newly added unit labeled, Section D: Multicultural Considerations, which seeks to reduce bias, minimize discrimination, and prevent harm in practice. This section infuses cultural competencies introduced to the profession and tenets of advocacy as more than just aspirational directives but also as enforceable tenets of conduct. This article provides an overview of the changes made to Section C: Advocacy and Accessibility and explains the significance of Section D across the principles that instruct professional behavior. The authors will describe best practices for operationalizing the ethics code to ensure that services are comprehensive, equitable, and inclusive. Finally, we will present strategies for becoming a culturally competent and ethically conscientious Rehabilitation Counselor.