Assessment and Questionaire

Complete the questionnaire form by creating 10 questions you think will determine the competencies of caseworkers applying for a position with your family counseling practice.

Address the following in your questions:

* The caseworker's method for handling ethical issues.

* The caseworker's plan for staying current in his or her area of expertise and for receiving continuing education.

* The caseworker's procedure for maintaining accurate and complete client records.

Write the final question so it involves a scenario that requires the caseworker to determine whether to abide by the duty to warn or the duty to protect.

Complete the questionnaire as if you were one of the caseworkers applying for the position.

Question Your answer

What degree do you currently have now? Are you currently in school or are you planning to go back to further your education in counseling or will you remain where you are? I have my BA in Human Services with an emphasis on children and family. I also have my Masters in marriage and family therapy. I am always looking at ways to continue my education and staying informed. It is important to stay up on all of the changes in the field, whether they are socially, legally, scientifically, or medically. You provide a very important service to the lives of many people. Make sure that you continue to provide the best for your clients by keeping up with the latest changes in the current trends in the mental health field.

What is your specialization (such as family therapy, women issues, substance abuse counseling, etc.)? My specialization is in children and family issues. I am a certified domestic abuse advocate which I keep current by attending specialized training and volunteering in a woman's shelter in the city I live in.

How would you deal with a client who conflicts your ethnical beliefs? Value conflicts are inevitable in mental health practice. Showing respect for these differences can mean different things in counseling, but it at least means being aware of how these factors impact the client and their presenting concern. It often also mean taking these factors into consideration in assessment, case conceptualization, and treatment planning. I would look at whether a value conflict between myself and a client is significant enough to have a negative impact on our work together. If so, a referral is may be appropriate.

What way do you keep up with your client's records, and how long to you keep each record before archiving them? What way do you archive your clients old records? I store hard copy records in a safe, locked place that is reasonably protected from theft, intrusion, fire, earthquake, water damage and unauthorized access. I protect my computer records by use of password, virus protection, and firewall and access log. Backup regularly, and store my backup disks off site in a secure location. Print hard copies of very important documents and use access log if necessary. I enter clinically relevant and meaningful information in the clinical records. Detail clinically meaningful contacts, including important phone calls and important or clinically significant collateral contacts. Include in records the date and type of services provided, fees, charges, payments, balances and copies of third party billing. I make sure that the records include basic demographic information, mental status exam and diagnosis or presenting, fee agreement and treatment plan. If relevant, include risk factors, medical and other issues relevant to treatment, collateral information and request for information. I retain records as long as it is legally mandated or, when applicable, take into consideration institutional requirements, professional organizations' guidelines, professional codes of ethics, or other relevant mandates.

What are the main reasons to keep good records of your client interactions? Good records help therapists provide quality care by providing therapists with continuity where they do not need to rely on their memory to recall details of their patients' lives and the treatment provided. Not keeping any records is below the standard of care, is unethical and, in many states, illegal. In case of civil, criminal or administrative litigation, it is often not the therapist's word against the client's, but the client's word against the psychotherapy records. Many boards make the decision of whether to pursue a case based on experts who develop their opinion from reading the clients' complaints and the therapists' records but not necessarily interviewing the therapists themselves.

If the treating therapist becomes disabled, dies or cannot continue to provide care for other reasons, clinical records can help the next treating therapist with information and the clients with continuity.

How do you avoid the dual relationship? If I recognize, or even if you suspect, I am in the mix of conflicting or potentially risky dual relationships with a client, I would act immediately. I will not wait for the client to bring up the problems that have developed. I will document all interactions with my client and detail how I think the dual relationship developed. I will seek consultation about the precise dynamics of dual relationships and how to end such a dynamic with the least amount of harm to my client. I will arrange for an independent evaluation of the