Community Beyond Violence (CBV) is a community based social service agency supported through grants and community contributions. The agency operates as a public trust, and as such, requires that all employees and volunteers adhere to the highest standard of ethical conduct.

As an employee/volunteer of Community Beyond Violence, you are asked to do the following:

1. Treat clients and their families with respect and dignity.
2. Keep information about clients confidential within the agency, with the exception of information exchanged with a release of information or as required by law.
3. Encourage clients to become independent of CBV and to take responsibility for their lives.
4. Keep sensitive business and administrative matters confidential (for example, funding, negotiations, lawsuits, and personal matters).
5. Keep personal information about co-workers confidential (for example, last name, home address, and telephone number).
6. Keep the Safehouse location and identity of residents confidential.

As an employee/volunteer of Community Beyond Violence, you are prohibited from doing the following:

1. Taking clients home or attempting to provide a safe place outside the auspices of CBV.
2. Providing counseling, advocacy, or any social service to clients outside the auspices of CBV.
3. Engaging in any social or sexual relationship with clients.
4. Drinking with or buying alcoholic beverages for clients; using, buying, selling, or exchanging prescription or illegal drugs.
5. Buying, selling, or exchanging personal property or money with a client.
6. Taking client records or files out of the agency (for example, taking files home to complete entries).
7. Using in-kind donations for personal benefit.

At Community Beyond Violence, a client is defined as “anyone who is a recipient of Community Beyond Violence’s services”. A person who has received Community Beyond Violence services is considered a client from the date of first contact with the agency until at least twelve months from the date of last service. Requests for exception to, or conflict of interest with, this policy is to be brought to the Executive Director for determination (for example, when the client is a friend or relative).

Violations of the Community Beyond Violence Code of conduct are subject to personnel action and may lead to termination of employment or volunteer status.