1. (a) In General.

   1. (1) Licensees refrain from providing services when they know or should know that their personal problems or a lack of objectivity have the potential to impair their competency or harm a patient, client, colleague, student, supervisee, research participant, or other person with whom they have a professional relationship.
   2. (2) Licensees seek professional assistance for any personal problems, including alcohol or substance use, that have the potential to impair their competency.
   3. (3) Licensees do not exploit persons over whom they have supervisory evaluative, or other authority such as students, supervisees, employees, research participants, and clients or patients.
   4. (4) Licensees refrain from entering into any professional relationship which conflicts with their ability to comply with all Board rules applicable to other existing professional relationships.
   5. (5) Licensees who find themselves in a professional relationship that conflicts with other professional relationships to the extent that the licensee cannot comply with all applicable Board rules relating to each of the professional relationships must withdraw from any and all relationships to prevent the conflict(s).

2. (b) Dual Relationships.

   1. (1) A licensee must refrain from entering into or agreeing to enter into a dual relationship with a client, patient, supervisee, student or any other individuals if it appears that such a relationship has the potential to impair the licensee's objectivity or otherwise interfere with the licensee's ability to effectively and competently provide psychological services or has any other potential to harm or exploit the other party.
   2. (2) A licensee must refrain from a professional relationship where pre-existing personal, financial, professional, or other relationships have the potential to impair the licensee's objectivity or have any other potential to harm or exploit the other party.
   3. (3) Licensees do not provide psychological services to an individual with whom they have had sexual relationships.
   4. (4) Licensees do not terminate the delivery of psychological services with an individual in order to engage in a sexual relationship with that person.
   5. (5) A licensee considering a professional relationship that would result in a dual or multiple relationship shall take appropriate measures, such as obtaining professional consultation or assistance, to determine whether there is a risk that the dual relationship could impair the licensee's objectivity or cause harm to the other party. If potential for impairment or harm exists, the licensee shall not provide services regardless of the wishes of the other party.
   6. (6) A licensee in a potentially harmful dual or multiple relationship must cease to provide psychological services to the other party, regardless of the wishes of that party.

Source Note:The provisions of this §465.13 adopted to be effective June 3, 1999, 24 TexReg 4017; amended to be effective March 13, 2000, 25 TexReg 2061; amended to be effective December 10, 2002, 27 TexReg 11544.