Accredited Case Manager (ACM) Code of Conduct
The National Board for Case Management (NBCM) and the American Case Management Association (ACMA) expect both certificants and applicants to uphold the ACM Certification Program’s Code of Conduct principles. The principles provide guidance for the ethical practice of case management professionals by:
- Promoting ethical behavior expected of Case Managers - specifically ACM certified professionals.
- Establishing principles that define ethical behavior and best practices.
- Serving as an ethical guide for disciplinary actions.
The primary obligation of Accredited Case Manager (ACM) certified professionals is to provide quality care and ensure the best outcomes possible for the patients, clients and communities served. The National Board for Case Management (NBCM) endorses the American Case Management Association’s (ACMA) Case Management Functions and Expectations and its definition of Case Management:
Case Management in hospital and health care delivery systems is a collaborative practice model including patients, nurses, social workers, physicians, other practitioners, caregivers and the community. The Case Management process encompasses communication and facilitates care along a continuum through effective resource coordination. The goals of Case Management include the achievement of optimal health, access to care and appropriate utilization of resources, balanced with the patient's right to self-determination.
ACM certified professionals have proven to be well equipped to provide case management services within a health care delivery system. They demonstrate beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and skills to provide competent case management services and work collaboratively with diverse groups of individuals, programs, institutions, employers, and services delivery systems, and provide both direct and indirect services.
Principle #1
Certificants shall be in continuous compliance with all NBCM standards, policies and procedures. Each individual bears the burden for demonstrating and maintaining compliance at all times. This includes maintaining a current professional credential as required by the jurisdiction in which the certificant practices (this may be a license, certificate or registration).
Principle #2
Certificants and applicants shall be accurate, truthful, and complete in any and all communications, direct or indirect, with any client, employer, regulatory agency, or other parties as relates to their professional work, education, professional credentials, research, and contributions to the field of case management. Certificants will use the ACM credentials (ACM-RN and ACM-SW) properly.
Principle #3
Certificants and applicants will report to the NBCM and/or ACMA anyone who steals, shares, colludes or otherwise compromises the ACM certification program integrity. Certificants agree not to compromise ACM exam content, including sharing the content of the exam.
Principle #4
Certificants and applicants shall provide accurate and truthful representations to both NBCM and ACMA concerning all information related to aspects of the Certification Program, including, but not limited to, the submission of information:
- On the examination and certification renewal applications and renewal audit forms;
- Through self-reporting of material changes to licensure, practice or criminal charges pending or adjudicated;
- Requested by NBCM or ACMA for a disciplinary action situation; or
- Requested by NBCM or ACMA concerning allegations related to:
- Test security violations and/or disclosure of confidential examination material content to unauthorized parties;
- Misrepresentations by a certificant regarding his/her credential(s), status and/or education;
- The unauthorized use of NBCM or ACMA’s intellectual property, certification marks and other copyrighted material, including all exam preparation tools.
Certificants and applicants should refer to the Grounds for Disciplinary Action, Section E within the NBCM’s Disciplinary Policy for Accredited Case Manager (ACM) Certificants and Applicants for more information.
Principle #5
Certificants and applicants who are the subject of a complaint shall cooperate with NBCM and ACMA concerning investigations of violations of the NBCM Code of Conduct, including the collection of relevant information.
Principle #6
Certificants and applicants shall comply with state and/or federal laws, regulations, and statutes governing the practice of their discipline and case management.
Principle #7
Certificants and applicants shall not have been convicted of a crime, the circumstances of which substantially relate to the practice of case management or the practice of their discipline, or indicate an inability to engage in the practice of case management or the practice of their discipline safely.
Principle #8
Certificants and applicants shall not engage in behavior or conduct, lawful or otherwise that causes them to be, or reasonably perceived to be, a threat or potential threat to the health, well-being, or safety of recipients or potential recipients of case management services or services related to their discipline of practice.
Principle #9
Certificants shall not electronically post personal health information or anything, including photos, that may reveal a patient’s/client’s identity or personal or patient relationship. (All statements, regardless of intent, about a patient/client can potentially contain sufficient information for a member of a community to recognize the patient/client, thus violating the state and/or federal law (i.e. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).) Certificants will maintain and respect the confidentiality of sensitive information obtained in the course of all work in case management, nursing or social work duties consistent with legal requirements, unless: the information is reasonably understood to pertain to unlawful activity: a court or governmental agency lawfully directs the release of the information or the failure to release or report such information would likely result in death or serious physical harm to colleagues and/ or patients.
Principle #10
Certificants and applicants shall not engage in the practice of their discipline or case management while their ability to practice is impaired due to chemical (i.e., legal and/or illegal) drug or alcohol abuse. Certificants shall practice without impairments from cognitive deficiency that adversely affects their abilities to effectively practice or causes undue risk to patients, coworkers, or the public at large.
Principle #11
Certificants shall assure that a real or perceived conflict of interest does not compromise legitimate interests of a patient or employer, and does not influence or interfere with work-related judgments.
Principle #12
Certificants shall respect appropriate professional boundaries in their interactions with patients and others.
Principle #13
Certificants shall diligently provide professional services in a reasonably prompt and thorough manner, including the proper planning for, and supervision of, the rendering of proper and professional services.