To ensure informed consent, what should agencies describe?

To ensure informed consent, it is essential for agencies to describe the available programs and their associated risks and benefits. Informed consent is a fundamental ethical principle in healthcare and direct support services, as it ensures that individuals fully understand what they are agreeing to before proceeding with any program or service.

By outlining the specific programs available, along with their potential advantages and disadvantages, individuals can make well-informed choices that reflect their personal needs, values, and circumstances. This transparency not only fosters trust between the service provider and the individual but also empowers the individual to actively participate in their own care decision-making process.

While aspects such as financial costs, staff qualifications, and success rates are important considerations in the overall context of services, they do not encapsulate the entire scope of informed consent as effectively as the detailed explanation of program options and their inherent risks and benefits.