PSYCHOLOGY STAFF CONFLICT WITH TRAINEE PERFORMANCE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

PURPOSE

The Pennsylvania Counseling Services Psychology Internship Program is committed to conducting all activities in strict compliance with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for psychologists. The Psychology Training Program is committed to helping trainees achieve their individual training goals through ongoing feedback during weekly supervision and formal evaluations. In those instances where the trainee is perceived to be failing to meet reasonable performance standards the clinical supervisor will utilize the following procedure.

GENERAL POLICY

The Psychology Training Program will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in the treatment of psychology trainees. Informal evaluation is an ongoing process in the Psychology Training Program. Meetings with group and individual supervisors provide ongoing feedback on a weekly basis as to the trainee’s progress toward goals and level of competence in meeting performance standards. More structured verbal and written evaluations occur at three month intervals.

The evaluation of interns is a two-way communication. The trainee is expected to evaluate the training program as a whole as well as her or his own training progress. This evaluation includes the individual and group supervision he/she has received during the training period, to provide suggestions and feedback for changes deemed necessary; and to participate in the process of self-evaluation in comparison to the evaluations provided by staff, to round out observations and critiques.

PROCESS

1. Inadequate Performance is defined as a deficit in professional functioning which is reflected in one or more of the following ways:
   1. An inability and/or unwillingness to acquire and integrate professional standards into one’s repertoire of professional behavior:
   2. An inability to acquire professional skills in order to reach an acceptable level of competency and/or an inability to control personal stress; and/or;
   3. Excessive emotional reactions that interfere with professional functioning.
2. Criteria that link this definition of inadequate performance to particular professional behaviors are incorporated into competency-based evaluation forms, which are completed by supervisors at several intervals during the internship.
3. An "intern who has a problem" refers to an intern whose behaviors, attitudes, or characteristics which, while of concern and receiving remediation, are perceived to be expected or not excessive for professionals in training. Problems typically become identified as "Inadequate Performance" when they include one or more or the following characteristics:
   1. the intern repeatedly and chronically does not acknowledge, understand, or address the problem when it is identified.
   2. the problem is not merely a reflection of a skill deficit which can be rectified by academic or didactic training.
   3. the quality of services delivered by the intern is sufficiently negatively affected.
   4. the problem is not restricted to one area of professional functioning.
   5. a disproportional amount of attention by training personnel is required.
   6. the trainee’s behavior does not change as a function of feedback, remediation efforts, and/or time.
   7. the intern is unable/unwilling to carry out expected program responsibilities.
   8. the intern is not able to successfully complete exit criteria.
   9. staff members and peers identify the intern as having repeated difficulties relating to others professionally.

The Training Director and/or Clinical Supervisor(s) may, at their discretion, request an initial meeting to consider and assess inadequate performance that may be preventing an intern from making what is deemed to be appropriate progress toward meeting goals and expectations.

1. Such a meeting will include:
   1. A clear written statement of the nature of the concern or conflict
   2. A notation as to the date, time, place, and circumstances of the problem, if applicable
   3. A clear statement of informal attempts to resolve the issue that have already been taken
   4. A description of the outcome of such attempts and any perceived response from the trainee
   5. A statement of the staff person’s expectation or desired resolution that has not occurred to date
2. The meeting must be held at a time and place that will allow the trainee to hear the problem as described and he/she must be given three (3) full days to respond at a second meeting, if needed.
3. Any issues or suggestions that derive from such meetings will be addressed to the trainee and to the individual Clinical Supervisor, who will discuss and clarify them with the trainee as part of the next supervision meeting.
   1. Should this process not result in what is considered by the trainee, Clinical Supervisor or Training Director as adequate resolution, involved staff will meet as a group to develop an appropriate follow-up intervention or determine appropriate follow-up actions. Such actions may involve notifying the Director of the Training program at the trainee’s school of study of the conflict, issues or concerns, how they have been evaluated, steps taken toward remediation and the nature of the ongoing concern. Interns needing corrective action are informed in writing about their progress regarding the inadequate performance addressed and the extent that the issue is resolved or needs further actions to satisfactorily meet required standards
4. The trainee may respond with informal or formal written notice of disagreement with the staff evaluation and recommendations. If this results in a continuing grievance that cannot be resolved, then the procedures outlined in Psychology Trainee Grievance Procedures should be followed toward resolving this grievance.

PENNSYLVANIA COUNSELING SERVICES PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP
GRIEVANCE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

PURPOSE

The Psychology Training Program at Pennsylvania Counseling Services is committed to conducting all activities in compliance with the American Psychological Association’s Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for psychologists. While the Psychology Program attempts to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there will be occasional issues that come to attention of the Director of Training Training Director for resolution. This grievance policy is designed to assist trainees and supervisors in the resolution of these issues.

POLICY

The Psychology Training Program will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in the treatment of psychology trainees. It is expected that most problems can be addressed by a candid exchange between the trainee and the supervisor. There may be times when a trainee feels unfairly treated. In this case the trainee may utilize the grievance procedure outlined below:

1. The formal grievance procedure is used when the trainee and immediate supervisor have failed to resolve an issue to the satisfaction of both parties.
2. There will be no retaliatory action taken by Pennsylvania Counseling Services or any of its staff against any trainee who uses this procedure.

DEFINITIONS

1. Supervisor - a licensed psychologist who has direct responsibility for a trainee’s clinical work, performance evaluation and discipline.
2. Training Director – a licensed psychologist who has the administrative and clinical responsibility for the psychology training program.
3. Trainee – an individual who has been selected through the Association of Pre and Post Doctoral Internship Centers (APPIC) match program or National Clearinghouse and contracted to participate in the pre-doctoral psychology internship.

PROCESS

Before initiating formal grievance procedures, the trainee should attempt to resolve the conflict through informal discussion with the involved party or parties. The trainee should clearly indicate to the involved party the date and nature of the conflict or complaint, as well as suggestions as to how the complaint may be might be appropriately resolved to his/her satisfaction. If no resolution can be agreed upon to the satisfaction of both parties, the trainee may then decide to proceed to the first formal stage of complaint. The formal grievance procedure may be accessed by the trainee within ten (10) business days from the occurrence that gives rise to the grievance by following the steps below

STEP 1

1. If the problem does not involve the immediate clinical supervisor, the conflict should be reported and discussed with that supervisor, who will work to resolve that conflict in a timely and responsible fashion. The initial stage of this report may be informal.
   1. If this is unsuccessful, a written description of the complaint should be provided to the supervisor within one (1) week of the unsuccessful attempt at resolution. The supervisor will then review the complaint and respond in writing within one (1) week of receipt of the written complaint, suggesting a resolution that appears most appropriate according to professional and ethical guidelines as outlined in the APA Ethical Code and the Board of Psychology of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s laws governing the conduct of psychologists
2. Should this procedure not result in a resolution, OR if the complaint involves the immediate clinical supervisor, the trainee should proceed to the next step.

STEP 2

1. If attempts at the supervisory level to resolve the conflict fail OR if the complaint involves the immediate supervisor, a copy of the written complaint should be provided to the Training Director along with a brief description of the nature of the unsuccessful attempts at resolution. The Training Director will take prompt and responsible steps, within ethical limits, to resolve the grievance informally and then formally, if appropriate.
2. If this step is unsuccessful, OR if the complaint involves the Training Director, the trainee should proceed to the next level of complaint.
3. Beyond this point, if the grievance is still not resolved, attempts to resolve it will follow the grievance procedures as mandated by Pennsylvania Counseling Services and as outlined in Steps 3 and 4.

STEP 3

1. If attempts at the supervisory level to resolve the conflict fail OR if the complaint involves the Training Director, the same procedures will apply.
   1. Attempts at informal resolution will be promptly made.
2. Failing these steps, formal resolution and discussion may be initiated with the Executive Vice President of Pennsylvania Counseling Services (Ruth Davis, MBA) by a written request made within five (5) working days from receipt of the Training Director’s written answer.
3. The Executive Vice President of Pennsylvania Counseling Services will schedule a meeting at which all parties to the problem will be heard. The Vice President may invite witnesses if required and may arrange for an investigation of matters relating to the problem. A record will be made of discussions at the hearing but such record need not be verbatim.
4. The Executive Vice President of Pennsylvania Counseling Services will notify the aggrieved trainee within five (5) working days of his/her decision or of the act that an investigation is in progress. In the latter case, the Executive Vice President of Pennsylvania Counseling Services will give a decision to the aggrieved trainee within three (3) days after the conclusion of the investigation.
5. If this step is unsuccessful the trainee should proceed to the next level of complaint. Interns needing corrective action are informed in writing about their progress regarding the inadequate performance addressed and the extent that the issue is resolved or needs further actions to satisfactorily meet required standards.

STEP 4

If the trainee wishes to appeal further, within five (5) working days from the time the Executive Vice President of Pennsylvania Counseling Service’s reply is received, the trainee may do so by writing the complaint to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pennsylvania Counseling Services (Roy Smith, Ph.D.)

1. The CEO will request a record of the hearing conducted the Executive Vice President of Pennsylvania Counseling Services, the facts elicited during the investigation, if any, and the reasoning underlying the decision made
2. The CEO may convene a second hearing.
3. The CEO will give a written reply to the aggrieved trainee within five (5) working days.
4. The decision of the CEO will be final and binding.

DISCHARGE APPEALS

A trainee who has been discharged from the Training Program may appeal directly to the Executive Vice President of Pennsylvania Counseling Services. The request for appeal must be made within five (5) days of discharge.

REPRESENTATION

The Psychology Trainee Grievance Process is an internal one to Pennsylvania Counseling Services. The trainee may suggest witnesses who may contribute to the clarification and/or resolution of the problem but may not be represented by legal counsel nor will persons not connected with PCS be permitted to be involved in the grievance process.