Welcome to the Nexus of Ethics, Psychology, Morality, Philosophy and Health Care

Welcome to the nexus of ethics, psychology, morality, technology, health care, and philosophy
Showing posts with label Colleague Assistance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colleague Assistance. Show all posts

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Psychologists helping psychologists


Determining your responsibilities when you believe a colleague may have behaved unethically.

By Rebecca A. Clay
The Monitor on Psychology
October 2012, Vol 43, No. 9
Print version: page 36

If you saw another psychologist do something that appeared unethical, would you know how to respond?

Many psychologists don't, says Beth Kaplan Westbrook, PsyD, co-chair of APA's Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance (ACCA) and a private practitioner in Portland, Ore. They may be unsure about laws in their state and how those laws interact with APA's Ethics Code. They may lack the information they need. Or they may be nervous about the liability issues that could arise, either from reporting a colleague or failing to do so.

ACCA is working to make sure psychologists are clear about how to react when a colleague needs help. In addition to creating a series of online resources, the group is urging state, provincial and territorial psychological associations (SPTAs) to create colleague assistance programs that can stop problems before they become crises.

"Health professionals aren't immune from the same problems that affect the general public," says Westbrook, citing as examples substance abuse and mental health disorders. "ACCA's main purpose is not only to help people get the treatment they need, but also to focus on prevention—to have programs in place so that psychologists can seek help or refer colleagues as problems arise."

The entire story is here.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Can We Talk?

Colleague Assistance Committee

Civic Virtue: Behavior that promotes the good of the community
Pro-Social Behavior: Caring about and acting on behalf of others

Why are these things important for psychologists? Are they important? How can such behavior improve our profession and our professional lives?

The members of PPA’s Colleague Assistance Committee work to promote self-care among the mem­bership. Last fall we found ourselves talking about what our obligations might be, as psychologists, to one another and our profession — and how such pro-social behavior is really an extension of good self-care (and vice versa). As we care for one another, we also support and nur­ture ourselves and our profession. We found ourselves wondering…

  • Do we, as psychologists, have an obligation to support one another, to reach out to one another?
  • As psychologists, have we made a commitment to one another?
  • How can we support our fellow psychologists?
  • How can we promote a culture of professional collegiality and support?
  • How can we demonstrate care for one another in our places of employment?
  • Do we promote transparency, trust and open communication at work and when working with other members of PPA? Or do we engage in split­ting, triangulation, one-upmanship, and gossip?
  • When we need to correct a colleague, do we do so in a manner which is affirming of his or her value as a fellow human being? Do we take the oppor­tunity to teach, or do we belittle and punish?
  • Do we have an obligation to mentor younger psychologists and those new to the profession?*
  • Do we ask for help when we need to?

Are there things that we, as psychologists, don’t talk about with our colleagues? Are there things that you wish that you could talk about? Why don’t we talk about these things?

What do you think?

* Did someone act as a mentor to you? If not, what kind of mentor do you wish you’d had? Whom can you mentor? Please consider serving as a mentor for one of PPA’s early career psychologists. If you are interested, contact Dr. Michelle Herrigel, chair of the ECP committee.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Colleague Assistance

A recent article in the Monitor on Psychology by Rebecca Clay highlights several important points about colleague assistance and your ethical responsibilities as a psychologist.  The article features our own Sam Knapp.

The article, When A Colleague is Impaired, can be found here.  A portion of it is reproduced below.


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A psychologist friend of yours is undergoing a divorce so wrenching, you sense she can barely get up in the morning, let alone provide effective therapy.

A colleague in your building stumbles as he walks down the hall, and you smell alcohol on his breath.

You’ve heard that an older colleague has become forgetful, sometimes seems confused and has even fallen asleep during a session.

How do you ethically handle such scenarios?

APA’s Code of Ethics requires psychologists to recognize when their own personal problems might interfere with their effectiveness and take action. But when it’s someone else who has the problem, knowing what to do can be difficult.
“On the one hand, people want to do something; on the other, they don’t want to get someone in trouble where they might lose their license,” says Michael O. Ranney, executive director of the Ohio Psychological Association. “For many people, it’s a difficult ethical dilemma — what to do and how to do it.”

The approach Ranney and other experts recommend? Step in early and take advantage of a colleague assistance program or other forms of help offered by your state, provincial or territorial psychological association (SPTA). Reporting someone to the state licensing board should be a last resort, they emphasize.

Preventing problems

Getting other psychologists the help they need is an ethical duty just like getting help for yourself, says Stephen Behnke, JD, PhD, director of APA’s Ethics Office.

“All of our training, all of our experience is to promote health and well-being, and that should begin in our own community of psychologists,” he says. “It absolutely should be an ethical responsibility that we take on as psychologists to be that supportive community to our colleagues in distress.”

Stopping problems before they escalate is key, Behnke and others agree.
One way to do that is to develop and maintain a network of social relations with other psychologists, says Sam Knapp, EdD, director of professional affairs at the Pennsylvania Psychological Association. Work on meeting your colleagues and reach out to them in good times and bad.

“If you find out that a colleague has just had a death in the family or a divorce or some kind of event like that, send them a card or call them up and express condolences,” says Knapp. “Ninety-nine percent of the time they’re not going to slip into impairment, but they’re going to appreciate it and feel that they can confide in you about other things.”

It’s not just personal issues that can cause problems, he adds. A patient’s suicide, for example, could plunge a psychologist into depression.

Once other psychologists become comfortable with you, says Knapp, they might ask for a referral for therapy or substance abuse treatment. They might seek consultation on a case they’re having trouble with. Or they might just want someone to talk to.