Ethical Considerations for Recovery Coaches

Ethics trainings are not all created equal. Recovery coaches need an understanding of ethics that differs from those of clinicians due to their unique role while guiding someone through their own recovery process. Recovery coaching as a peer-to-peer recovery support service has grown exponentially over the past few years. Ethical considerations have been discussed in many circles, yet formal training has been lacking for recovery coaches. This 16-hour training addresses this critical need. Based on the widely used Ethical Guidelines for the Delivery of Peer-based Recovery Support Services by William White and PROACT (2007), we designed this training to help coaches and anyone else working in the peer role, to understand how critical it is to be ethically responsible. Using presentations, small group work, and role play to address many areas, including defining the coaching service role and functions, coaching standards, issues of vulnerability, ethical decision-making, performance enhancement, and legal issues. This educational program is approved by NAADAC #195293.