Ethical Boundaries: Money

How to Avoid Crossing an Ethical Boundary with Money

“NARR Standard A2h: …never become involved in residents’ personal financial affairs, including lending or borrowing money, or other transactions involving property or services, except that the operator may make agreements with residents with respect to payment of fees.”

Never become involved in residents’ personal financial affairs, including lending or borrowing money.

There’s been a history of operators that “hold onto” a resident’s cash so the resident doesn’t spend it. The Recovery Home should not be the bank for the resident.

It’s okay to introduce a resident to a local bank associate or assist the resident in getting to the bank so he or she can manage their financial affairs themselves.

It may be a good idea to have a policy that states the recovery house doesn’t handle any cash at all. It’s a policy that is good for record keeping and also good for maintaining boundaries.

But if you are an operator that does handle cash, be sure to have a policy that clearly states the rules.