Inclusive Care Policy

Last reviewed: 24 Mar 2026

ThroughLine partners, helplines, and interventions are evaluated for, and must continuously comply with, the following standards of inclusive care, based on clinical best practice.

Non-Judgmental

Service providers should aim to adopt a non-judgmental and empathetic attitude. Users should feel that their identities, experiences and feelings are valid and will not be met with criticism or judgement.

Example: The gender or sexual orientation of users is respected without judgement or critique.

Respect for Autonomy

Users' autonomy and decision-making should be respected. Users should be actively involved in decisions and have the freedom to choose options that align with their personal values and goals. While recognizing that local legal obligations such as abuse reporting and harm to others must be followed, user autonomy and values should be respected whenever possible.

Example: Users should have support in making their own personal decisions with regards to pregnancy and abortion without pressure or critique.

Cultural Competence

Providers should aim to be culturally competent and sensitive to the unique needs and backgrounds of their users. Understanding cultural factors can enhance the users' sense of safety and trust.

Example: BIPOC users should receive support that respects their cultural values and needs.

Policy evidence base

Summary

• The therapeutic alliance, which is strongly influenced by taking a non-judgemental stance and respecting autonomy, has been consistently linked to positive long-term mental health outcomes.
• Research indicates that when clients feel respected and autonomous, resistance and defensiveness are reduced, facilitating more productive interventions.
• Cultural competence has a positive correlation with mental health outcomes.

References

• American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index
• Duncan, B. L., Miller, S. D., Wampold, B. E., & Hubble, M. A. (Eds.). (2010). The heart and soul of change: Delivering what works in therapy. American Psychological Association.
• Reese, R. J., Norsworthy, L. A., & Rowlands, S. R. (2009). Does a continuous feedback system improve psychotherapy outcome? Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training, 46(4), 418-431.
• Rogers, C. R. (1951). Client-centered therapy: Its current practice, implications and theory. Constable.
• Howard, K. I., Moras, K., Brill, P. L., Martinovich, Z., & Lutz, W. (1996). The therapeutic alliance and its relationship to psychotherapy outcome: A review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(3), 532-543.
• Sue, D. W., & Zane, N. (2009). The role of culture and cultural techniques in psychotherapy: A critique and reformulation. The Counseling Psychologist, 37(6), 821-841.