Minnesota Laws/Rules/Ethics/Code of Conduct

Psychologists

Below are the various licensing boards for Minnesota mental health professionals and links to
their respective websites. The websites in turn provide direct links to the relevant statutes/laws
and rules for the different license types regulated by each board. In Minnesota, professional
ethics are developed and maintained by the licensing boards (rather than [e.g.] formal adoption
of an existing code of ethics from a national professional organization) and are called Rules of
Conduct. These Rules of Conduct are located in the 2020 Minnesota Statutes and/or Minnesota
Administrative Rules. See each board’s section below.

Board of Psychology
Board website: https://mn.gov/boards/psychology/

License types regulated by Board: Licensed Psychologist
Laws & Rules - Psychology Practice Act (Minnesota Board of Psychology, 2020a)
https://mn.gov/boards/psychology/laws/
2020 Minnesota Statutes, CHAPTER 148 PUBLIC HEALTH OCCUPATIONS,

Psychologists – Chapter 148.79 - 148.99. (Minnesota Legislature, 2020d)
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148#stat.148.88

Definitions – Chapter 148.89

Practice of Psychology 148.89, Subd 5.

Rules of Conduct - Chapter 148.98  113 32

Minnesota Administrative Rules, CHAPTER 7200, PSYCHOLOGISTS' LICENSURE
AND ETHICS 7200.0100 – 7200.6175. (Minnesota Legislature, 2020e)

Rules of Conduct 7200.4500 - 7200.5750
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/7200/

 

Codes of Ethics/Rules of Conduct for Psychologists
Minnesota licensing boards have created and maintain their own codes of ethics (i.e., rules of
conduct) for the following professions:

Psychologists rules of conduct. Psychologists Rules of Conduct are found in
Minnesota Statutes 148.98 and Minnesota Rules 7200.4500 - 7200.5750. 116  35

(Minnesota Board of Psychology, 2020b)
https://mn.gov/boards/psychology/public/conduct/ 

 

 

Licensed Social Workers

Board of Social Work
Board website: https://mn.gov/boards/social-work/

License types regulated by Board: Licensed social worker; Licensed graduate social
worker; Licensed independent social worker; Licensed independent clinical social worker
Statutes - 2020 Minnesota Statutes, CHAPTER 148E. BOARD OF SOCIAL WORK
PRACTICE – 148E.01 – 148E.290. (Minnesota Legislature, 2020f) -
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148e

New legislation (effective August 1, 2020) - (Minnesota Board of Social Work,
2020) https://mn.gov/boards/socialwork/lawsandregulations/2020legislativeproposal.jsp

Administrative Rules - Minnesota Administrative Rules, CHAPTER 8740, SOCIAL
WORKER LICENSES, has been repealed. (Minnesota Legislature, 2020g)
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/8740/

Ethics – 2020 Minnesota Statutes CHAPTER 148E.210 PROFESSIONAL AND
ETHICAL CONDUCT and CHAPTER 148E.255 – 148E.270. (Minnesota Legislature,
2020h) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148E.210
CHAPTER 148E.010 DEFINITIONS Subd. 7e.

Continuing education social work ethics. "Continuing education social work
ethics" means:
(1) the history and evolution of values and ethics in social work, including
cultural awareness and social diversity;
(2) ethics theories;
(3) professional standards of social work practice, as specified in the
ethical codes of the National Association of Social Workers, the
Association of Canadian Social Workers, the Clinical Social Work
Federation, and the Council on Social Work Education;114  33
(4) the legal requirements and other considerations for each jurisdiction
that registers, certifies, or licenses social workers; or
(5) the ethical decision-making process.

Social Workers
2020 Minnesota Statutes 148E.210 PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL
CONDUCT. (Minnesota Legislature, 2020k)
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148E.210

The board has grounds to take action under sections 148E.255 to
148E.270 when a social worker:
(1) engages in unprofessional or unethical conduct, including any
departure from or failure to conform to the minimum accepted
ethical and other prevailing standards of professional social work
practice [emphasis added], without actual injury to a social work
client, intern, student, supervisee, or the public needing to be
established;
(2) engages in conduct that has the potential to cause harm to a
client, intern, student, supervisee, or the public;
(3) demonstrates a willful or careless disregard for the health,
welfare, or safety of a client, intern, student, or supervisee; or
(4) engages in acts or conduct adversely affecting the applicant or
licensee's current ability or fitness to engage in social work
practice, whether or not the acts or conduct occurred while
engaged in the practice of social work.

 

Legal Ages Laws

Minnesota has state laws that allow minors to consent to certain types of services
without parent or guardian permission (Minnesota Statutes Sections 144.341 -
144.344). These laws help young people seek confidential health care for sensitive
issues such as pregnancy or pregnancy prevention, sexually transmitted
infections, and substance use or abuse. Minnesota Statute 253B.04 subd.1 allows
youth who are 16 years of age or older to consent for inpatient mental health
services. (Minnesota Department of Health, 2020)

Minors’ Consent for Health Care
Minors may not receive health care services without their parents’ or guardians’
consent, unless specified otherwise in statute.
Specific Services
A minor may consent for medical, mental, or other health services for the following:
1. to determine the presence of or to treat pregnancy and conditions associated
with pregnancy
2. for sexually transmitted infections
3. for alcohol or other drug abuse (Minn. Stat. § 144.343, subd. 1) (Minnesota
Legislature, 2020l) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144.343 118  37

Minor Who Has Been Married or Has Given Birth
Any minor who has been married or has given birth may consent for personal medical,
mental, dental, or other health services or for services for the minor’s child (Minn. Stat.
§ 144.342). (Minnesota Legislature, 2020l)
https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/144.343

Inpatient Treatment; Mental Illness, Chemical Dependency, Developmental Disability
Any person 16 years or older may request admission to a treatment facility for
observation or treatment of mental illness, chemical dependency, or developmental
disability and may give valid consent for hospitalization, routine diagnostic evaluation,
and emergency or short-term acute care [emphasis added]. If a minor who is 16 or
17 refuses to consent to admission to a treatment facility, the minor’s parent or
guardian may consent to the minor’s admission for mental illness or chemical
dependency treatment, if an independent examination confirms the minor has a mental
illness or is chemically dependent, and is suitable for treatment (Minn. Stat. §§
253B.03, subd. 6, para. (d); 253B.04, subd. 1).
(Minnesota Legislature, 2020m) https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/253B

Children Parents and guardians have access to their minor children’s medical
records, unless the minor legally consents for services specifically listed under
the Consent of Minors for Health Services statutes (Minn. Stat. §§ 144.341 to
144.347). In that case, parents or guardians do not have access to the minor’s
health care records without the minor’s authorization (Minn. Stat. § 144.291,
subd. 2, para. (g)). [emphasis added]
However, a health professional may inform a minor’s parent or guardian of
treatment if, in the professional’s judgment, failure to inform the parent or
guardian would seriously jeopardize the minor’s health (Minn. Stat. § 144.346).