The Systems of Care

Mission Statement

The Mission of the Richmond Behavioral Health Authority is to provide superior behavioral health services that support Richmond's citizens reaching their greatest potential.

Employee Code of Ethics

Public service is a public trust. The highest obligation of every individual in the public sector is to fulfill that trust. Each person who undertakes the public trust assumes two paramount obligations:

• To serve the public interest
• To perform with integrity

These are the commitments implicit in all public service. The public employees of RBHA have a duty to discern, understand and meet the needs of their fellow citizens-which is after all, the definition of a public servant.

RBHA employees will uphold the following ethical principles:

• Employees will model, support and help implement the vision, mission, and goals of the organization.
• Employee shall value and support the principle of teamwork, flexibility, diversity, and open/direct communication.
• Employees will strive to provide the highest quality of service to the consumers served, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin.
• Employees will seek the informed consent and active participation of consumers served in decisions about service, care, and the treatment that they receive from the organization.
• Employees will uphold the legal and ethical commitment to the privacy and confidentiality of consumers served. Confidentiality will only be waived to prevent harm to the consumer or to comply with legal requirements.
• Employees shall make the welfare of all consumers served their highest priority, and with consideration of consumer choice, when making decisions about treatment and services. All treatment and service decisions will be based solely on the diagnostic and treatment needs of the consumer.
• Employees will seek to resolve issues/disagreements about management, operations, consumer care and service decisions fairly, promptly, and respectfully.
• Employees will dress in a manner that is consistent with job responsibilities, presents a neat and clean appearance, and meets A reasonable standard of appropriateness for a public human services work environment
• Employees will assure that consumers are aware of fees for services and that financial arrangements have been made based upon the organization's fee policy. Fees shall be based upon the consumer's ability to pay and no consumer shall be refused services due to the inability to pay or the termination of other benefits.
• Employees shall ensure the right of any consumer to refuse to participate in clinical studies or research without loss of services at RBHA.
• Employees will treat all other staff, consumers, other professionals, colleagues and visitors with courtesy, sensitivity, and respect, and will not, under any circumstances, engage in behavior that involves any form of harassment, intimidation, abuse, discrimination, or exploitation.
• Employees will not engage in dual or multiple relationships with consumers or former consumers which may compromise the client's or employee well being, impair the employee's objectivity and professional judgment, or increase the risk of exploitation.
• Employees will abide by their professional discipline's code of ethics and maintain licensing and educational requirements of their professional discipline. Employees shall only provide professional treatment and consumer services for which they are credentialed/licensed/privileged.
• Employees shall honor the rights of the consumers to file grievances and assist them in the process.