Seeking Consultation, Clinical Supervision, & Referral

Standard 2.1: Seeking Consultation, Clinical Supervision, & Referral

The Professional Practice Standards regarding seeking consultation, clinical supervision, and referral. This includes the eight standards, examples in demonstrating the standard, definitions, and related resources.

Seeking Consultation, Clinical Supervision and Referral

Standard 2.1: Seeking Consultation, Clinical Supervision, & Referral

The Professional Practice Standards regarding seeking consultation, clinical supervision, and referral. This includes the eight standards, examples in demonstrating the standard, definitions, and related resources.

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The Standard

 

2.1.1 Registrants understand their professional capabilities and limitations in regard to client populations served, issues treated, and modalities used.

 

2.1.2 Registrants only provide services that are within their knowledge, skill, and judgment, i.e., competence, to provide.

 

2.1.3 Registrants ensure any clinical advice or information they provide is based on reasonable professional opinion.

 

2.1.4 Registrants complete appropriate, verifiable education, and receive clinical supervision or consultation, before changing or expanding their practice area.

 

2.1.5 When registrants are treating a client within their practice area and encounter an issue beyond their competence, registrants receive clinical supervision or consult a more experienced colleague.

 

2.1.6 When consultation and clinical supervision do not provide adequate safeguards, registrants refer the client to another professional who is qualified to provide the required care.

 

2.1.7 Registrants receive clinical supervision when it is required for safe and effective treatment, beneficial for professional development or expanding competency, or when it is required by CRPO.

 

2.1.8 Registrants practising with clinical supervision promptly notify their clinical supervisor when a client presents an issue outside the registrant’s area of competence.

Standard 2.1

Demonstrating the Standard

  • Standard 2.1

    A registrant demonstrates meeting the standard, for example, by:

     

    • Considering whether they have the knowledge, skill, and judgment, i.e., competence, to work with a particular client, and doing so only when the registrant possesses the necessary competence.
    • Documenting conversations during case consultations.
    • When pursuing relevant study, consulting with a colleague, or seeking clinical supervision are inadequate to provide necessary safeguards, referring the client to a qualified professional.
    • Expressing reasonable professional opinion when discussing therapeutic techniques or procedures.

Key Definitions

  • Key Definitions

    Clinical Supervision

    CRPO defines clinical supervision as a professional relationship where the individual who is receiving supervision is engaged in a collaborative learning process with a clinical supervisor, which relationship is designed to:

     

    • promote the professional growth of the supervisee,
    • enhance the supervisee’s safe and effective use of the self in the therapeutic relationship,
    • foster discussion of the direction of therapy and the therapeutic relationship, and
    • safeguard the well-being of clients.
  • Key Definitions

    Clinical Supervision (Continued)

    Clinical supervision can be individual, dyadic or group.

     

    Individual: Clinical supervisor and one supervisee.

    Dyadic: Clinical supervisor and two supervisees.

    Group: Clinical supervisor and three-eight supervisees.

     

    In ‘regular’ group clinical supervision, the clinical supervisor leads the group.

     

    In structured peer group supervision, at least one member qualifies as a clinical supervisor but is an equal participant (not the leader).

  • Key Definitions

    Consultation

    Obtaining direction or advice regarding the way forward with a particular client, clinical issues, or issues related to professional practice.

  • Key Definitions

    Practice area

    Refers to the client populations, issues treated, and modalities ordinarily used in one’s practice.

  • Key Definitions

    Qualified professional

    Assuming the referral is for further psychotherapy, a qualified professional in Ontario is a member of one of the six colleges able to practice the controlled act of psychotherapy.

  • Key Definitions

    Verifiable

    The registrant is able to provide, as needed, records indicating they successfully completed the education or training, and that the education or training allowed them to change or expand their practice area.

Standard 2.1

Commentary

Registrants are expected to practise within their areas of competence. Indeed, an important aspect of professional accountability is a requirement to continually assess one’s knowledge, skill, and judgment, i.e., competence – including one’s ability to work with particular clients and clinical issues within particular modalities.

 

As regulated professionals, registrants are expected to understand their professional capabilities and limitations. They must provide only those services that are within their areas of competence, based on training and experience. When a registrant encounters a client with an issue the registrant is not equipped to work with, the registrant must exercise professional judgment. Specifically, they must promptly determine whether to: seek clinical supervision or consult with a colleague who has the required knowledge, skill, and judgment while undertaking relevant study; or refer the client to another practitioner who is able to provide the required care.

 

When a registrant receiving clinical supervision is confronted with a case outside their area of expertise, they shall promptly notify their supervisor and discuss whether it would be appropriate to continue with the client, pursue additional or enhanced supervision, or refer the client elsewhere.

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