Ethics Consultation
Ethics Consultations
The NASW-Illinois Chapter Ethics Committee (CEC) provides individual ethics consultations as a benefit of NASW membership. Ethics consultations are a resource for members who encounter ethical dilemmas and/or have ethics-related questions.
Consultation services are intended to guide members through the applicable standards in the NASW Code of Ethics along with other pertinent considerations and resources that address their concerns and allows them to make reasoned, ethical decisions. While we can discuss ethical issues, we cannot provide definitive answers for a particular situation or make decisions for members.
Ethics consultation telephone calls are answered on a first come, first served basis. Please leave a brief message clearly stating your name and contact number, and a member of the CEC will return your call. Due to the high call volume, allow 48 hours for a return call.
To contact the NASW-Illinois Chapter Ethics Committee, call 312.435.2100, and select option 5.
Need to file a complaint about a social worker?
File a Complaint with IDFPR
The Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) is the licensing board for ALL social workers in Illinois and ultimately have oversight over them. They can take formal complaints here. If your complaint is sustained, they can revoke or suspend licensure of the clinician.
Submit a Request for Professional Review Against an NASW Member
NASW promotes the quality and effectiveness of social work practice. Professional review is a collaborative process between chapters and the national office to provide a peer review of alleged unethical conduct of its members.
The professional review process is designed to correct and improve the practice of individual social workers as needed. The actions of the process are intended to be constructive and educative rather than punitive. Only in cases of serious misconduct may penalties be imposed.
If you would like submit a request for professional against an NASW member, click here to learn how to complete and submit a request for professional review.
The NASW Code of Ethics is a set of standards that guide the professional conduct of social workers. The 2021 update includes language that addresses the importance of professional self-care. Moreover, revisions to Cultural Competence standard provide more explicit guidance to social workers. All social workers should review the new text and affirm their commitment to abide by the Code of Ethics. Also available in Spanish.