9 Hr. Ethical Practice: Beyond the Basics for CRPA & CARC Renewals*

“This is the best ethics training I’ve attended and I recommend this training to and for everyone.”

— Participant, Mar. 6, 2026

Developed by Lori Drescher, CARC, RCP, RCPF, Member, MINT; Founder, RCU; and Amanda Toal, CARC, RCP, RCPF

This 9-hour renewal course is designed for peer recovery professionals seeking practical, real-world guidance for navigating ethical situations in their work. The training includes a brief pre-work assignment and two interactive half-day sessions focused on application, not just theory.

Rather than approaching ethics as a review of rules, this course centers on how to apply the NYCB Code of Ethics in everyday practice, especially in complex or gray-area situations where the answers aren’t always clear. Participants will explore core ethical principles, work through common boundary challenges, and practice using a straightforward ethical decision-making model they can confidently take back into their roles.

Participants complete a 1-hour pre-work assignment to build familiarity with the Code of Ethics prior to attending two interactive live sessions. The live training emphasizes practical application through discussion, scenario-based learning, and guided reflection.

Topics will include:

• Applying the NYCB Code of Ethics in real-world peer practice

• The difference between ethics, values, principles, and morals

• Core ethical concepts specific to the peer recovery profession

• Ethical guidelines: what they are and why they matter

• Staying within scope: understanding role clarity and avoiding “peer drift”

• Establishing, communicating, and maintaining boundaries (including working agreement tools)

• Confidentiality, privacy, and ethical information sharing

• Ethical use of lived experience and self-disclosure

• Harm reduction and self-determination as ethical foundations of peer work

• Using a structured ethical decision-making model (including William White’s three-step process)

• Applying ethics in gray areas and complex situations

• “Real play” scenario practice using real-world ethical challenges

• When and how to use supervision, consultation, and documentation

• Navigating ethical missteps, accountability, and repair

This RCU Virtual Training is approved by NYCB for CRPA and CARC Renewal CE’s and CARC Initial (Elective) Certification Hours.

“If people are only good because they fear punishment and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.”

— Albert Einstein