alcohol and other drug problems among addiction professionals

clude a clear identification of the elements that should be included in suchprocedures, and the things that they are expected to accomplish. It willentail the development of language appropriate to address and remedythe issues identified in the assessment phase. The product will be a setof non-discriminatory policies and procedures that will enable an agencyto effectively manage problems experienced by all staff who work in theprofession. These will be accompanied by training for management, orientationfor staff, and concrete tools to implement these policies.nAreas of Policy and Protocol7. Hiring Policies: (1) These must be consistent with current federal, state, andlocal laws and agency vision, mission, policy, and procedures. (2) They shouldvalue life experience, professional experience, and academic credentials.◆Hiring Policies and Procedures: In the belief that employmentproblems can often be traced to systems rather than to individuals, thisparticipant opted to develop a system of effective hiring policies and procedures.These written standards would include procedures and formsdesigned to identify qualified personnel, to aid in the interview process, tocollect information through application forms that meet all legal requirements,and to notify and instruct employees through standard operationalprocedures. Policies and procedures would clearly define processes for hiring,including advertising, taking applications, interviewing, performingbackground checks, and contacting references. Procedures would also addresspre-hiring interviews, and articulate clear expectations.8. Competency-based Evaluations: There should be a competency-basedevaluation of core addiction treatment competencies. TAP 21 can be used asa guide. Organizations need to develop Bona Fide Occupational Qualifications(BFOQ) for each job category and provide proper orientation of all employeesto all job-related expectations, vision, mission, policies, and procedures.9. Supervision Best Practices: We need to develop written guidelines for BestPractices to guide supervision and professional practices.◆Guidelines for Supervision Best Practices: These guidelines wouldarticulate the impact of supervision on preventing relapse in the workplace,and clearly articulate the differences between supervision and management,and between supervision and therapy. This project might beganwith an informal survey of managers in several agencies, collecting theirimpressions of current supervision and management practices, and theirimplications for employee behavioral health. It would also include a surveyof research on current supervision practices, including multicultural supervision.The final project would include recommendations for best practices.n 51 n