Self-determination is the right to make one’s own life choices and direct one’s own life. Human services professionals must not impose their values or try in any way to force clients into any personal actions against their wills. Examples of respecting the rights of clients to make their own choices include maintaining confidentiality, not discriminating or restricting services, and allowing clients to:

Respecting self-determination means clients can decide whether they want help, as long as their choice does not require professionals to violate ethical or safety obligations. Allowing clients to accept or reject services is a direct example of letting them make their own choices. The other options describe behavior that professionals are not required to permit as part of respecting self-determination.

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