CASC/ACSS Policy and Procedure Manual Chapter 3 Section V 1

CASC/ACSS Policy and Procedure Manual Chapter 3 Section V 1

SECTION V:PEER REVIEW

a.PHILOSOPHY

Certified members and Supervisor-Educators are an integral part of CASC/ACSS.

All certified members of CASC/ACSS have a shared responsibility to and for each other.

In the Standards of Practice, which includes the competencies (See Manual, Chapter 3, Sect II), Certified members and Supervisor-Educators share a common set of goals and objectives for both personal growth and professional practice.

Peer Review offers the individual an opportunity to reflect on their work in the light of these standards of practice. It is important that the reflective character of the individual peer review as an event be preserved and that nothing be done in the name of efficiency that might compromise this.

Peer Review allows CASC/ACSS to maintain a level of professional accountability and competence in the professional practice of Certified members and Supervisor-Educators .

Peer Review assists an individual personally and professionally.

Peer Review is an integral component of Certification and of functioning as a professional care provider and/or educator, and therefore is not only connected to continuous employment. Within the previous five years certified members may have experienced illness, parental or educational leaves, other employment, unemployment, and relocations that also affect/enhance the depth and breadth of self-awareness and professional practice.

Peer Review encourages and includes life experiences other than those directly associated with employment.

For consistent record keeping, the Peer Review is due every five years for ratification at the National Convention, calculated from the date of the National Convention when certification or previous Peer Review was ratified and presented.

B.PROCEDURE – CERTIFIED MEMBERS AND SUPERVISOR-EDUCATORS

1.Continued Certification of Certified members and Supervisor-Educators in CASC/ACSS depends on completion of a peer review every 5 years. Certification remains valid for a period of one year beyond this unless otherwise notified by the CASC/ACSS Board. Exceptions to this are:

• When the Certified members and/or Supervisor-Educators fails to fulfill the requirement for maintaining “active status” as outlined in Section III, Subsection A and Section IV, Subsection C respectively; or

• Due to other changes made by the CASC/ACSS Board.

2.The position of National Peer Review Coordinator is established within the Professional Practice Commission. The Chair of the Professional Practice Commission is responsible for the terms of reference of the National Peer Review Coordinator. The National Peer Review Coordinator coordinates all Peer Reviews of Certified members and Supervisor-Educators and maintains and reports the proceedings of the five-year Peer Review process to the Professional Practice Commission.

3.The Peer Review occurs during the fourth year after the National Convention at which a Certified members/Supervisor-Educator receives their Certification or previous peer review ratification. Please refer to the timeline in Subsection F (below) for details on this process.

4.The Certified member and/or Supervisor-Educator being reviewed (the Reviewee) contacts the Regional Professional Practice Chair who will appoint a same stream representative of CASC/ACSS to chair the Peer Review Team. The Reviewee also chooses a Certified member and/or Supervisor-Educator who is in the same stream to be a member of their Peer Review Team. When the Reviewee is both a Certified member and Supervisor-Educator, the Peer Review Team must include at least one Certified member and one Supervisor-Educator. At the request of the Reviewee, others may be added to the Peer Review Team, e.g. faith group representative, workplace person, supervisor, etc. Group Peer Reviews where members of the team switch roles are acceptable, but they should be approached with caution lest the individual reflective character of the process be undermined. The person selected by the Regional Professional Practice Chair to chair a Group Peer Review Team cannot also be one of the persons for peer review by that group. Those responsible for coordinating peer reviews will not coordinate their own review. They will first attempt to find someone on the regional executive to organize and convene the review team. If this is not possible, they can then approach someone on the PPC to perform this function.

5.A balance of both men and women is recommended. One member of the Review Team must be an appropriately certified member of CASC/ACSS; one member of the Review Team may be a Member Emeritus.

6.Throughout the Peer Review process, the Reviewee maintains contact with the Regional Professional Practice Chair concerning the progress of the Peer Review.

7.The Reviewee is responsible for completing the Peer Review Form 3.1. The Reviewee is also responsible for providing the documentation required to be included for the Peer Review Team (see Subsection F, below). The Reviewee may also provide other documentation for the Peer Review Team to enable the team to have a more comprehensive picture of their professional practice. The Reviewee ensures that each member of their Peer Review Team is provided with a copy of Peer Review Form 3.1 at least 2 weeks prior to the peer review interview.

8.The Peer Review Team meets with the Reviewee for an interview, preferably at the Reviewee’s place of work, though it is recognized that for various reasons it may be necessary to hold the interview in another location. (See “Peer Reviews at Distance” below).The Peer Review interview is intended to be a collegial process that invites the Reviewee to reflect on their professional practice over the 5-year period since certification or previous Peer Review and to set goals for the next 5-year period.

9.At the time of the interview, the Peer Review Team completes the Peer Review Report Form 3.2.

10.After the Peer Review interview, the Chair of the Peer Review Team informs the Regional Professional Practice Chair of the result of the review, gives a signed copy of the Peer Review Report to the Reviewee, and sends the report to the National Peer Review Coordinator. The National Peer Review Coordinator reviews and signs the report and forwards a copy to the National Office. The National Peer Review Coordinator recommends approval and ratification of successful peer reviews or flags for further assessment unsuccessful peer reviews to the Chair of the Professional Practice Commission who advises the members of the Professional Practice Commission.

11.At the request of the Reviewee, the Chair of the Professional Practice Commission will write a letter to the Reviewee’s employer (named on the Peer Review Form) notifying them of the successful peer review.

12.The peer review process is to be completed by February 1st of the fifth year so that the review can be ratified by the Professional Practice Commission prior to the National Convention.

13.Any expenses incurred by the process will be the responsibility of the Reviewee.

14.In extenuating circumstances, a Reviewee may request advancement or deferral of the Peer Review by one (1) year. Requests must be made in writing to the National Peer Review Coordinator.

15.The Vice-Chair of the Professional Practice Commission informs the Reviewee and their Regional Professional Practice Chair when the Professional Practice Commission will be ratifying their review and renewing their certification for five (5) years. The Vice-Chair also confirms whether the Reviewee is able to attend the National Convention to receive the certificate.

16.The Reviewee’s successful completion of the Peer Review and the renewal of their certification is acknowledged by the general membership at the next National Convention with the presentation of the certificate signed by the Chair of the Professional Practice Commission.

17.If the Peer Review is incomplete, the National Peer Review Coordinator and the Regional Professional Practice Chair request completion and/or clarification from the Reviewee in order to present the situation to the Professional Practice Commission for further action.

18.In the rare case where a second peer review is indicated, the Regional Professional Practice Chair, in consultation with the Chair of the Professional Practice Commission, enlists a new set of reviewers.

19.If a Peer Review Team recommends that continued certification be denied, and the Professional Practice Commission agrees with this recommendation, then a second peer review is automatically conducted (as in 2.17). This second peer review will be conducted within six months of the acceptance of the recommendation of the first Peer Review Team by the Professional Practice Commission. The Chair of the PPC will inform the CASC/ACSS Board of Directors of this course of action.

20.The Chair of the Professional Practice Commission, in consultation with the Regional Professional Practice Chair, has the right to request an appearance for consultation, from any person being reviewed following receipt of the Peer Review Report Form, and/or to conduct such further inquiry as is deemed needed. The cost of such an appearance will be borne by the Professional Practice Commission.

21.If a second Peer Review recommends that continued certification be denied and the Professional Practice Commission agree but feel there is a chance to resolve the issues or problems, then the Regional Professional Practice Chair will covenant with the Reviewee to establish a plan to resolve the issues or problems within a reasonable time frame. The Chair of the PPC will inform the CASC/ACSS Board of Directors of this course of action.

22.If after a second Peer Review, the Professional Practice Commission intends to deny continued certification, the Chair of the Professional Practice Commission will inform the Reviewee.

23.The Reviewee has sixty (60) days from the date of any decision to appeal that decision (see Chap 6, Section VI: Peer Review (Process and Decision) Grievances (PPC).

24.If a Certified member and/or Supervisor-Educator’s Peer Review is not completed within the timelines described above, the National Peer Review Coordinator sends a registered letter to the Certified member and/or Supervisor-Educator within thirty (30) days requesting a response concerning the overdue Peer Review. Copies are sent to the Chair of the Professional Practice Commission and the Chair of the Certification Committee. If there is no response within thirty (30) days, the National Peer Review Coordinator sends a second registered letter requesting a response by the Certified member and/or Supervisor-Educator. Copies are sent to the Chair of the Professional Practice Commission and the Chair of the Certification Committee. If the Certified member and/or Supervisor-Educator has not responded or is not willing to complete a Peer Review, then the individual is notified by the Chair of the Certification Committee that their certification will be discontinued. The Chair of the Certification Committee informs the National Office and the member’s certification status is discontinued.

C.PROCEDURE – SUPERVISOR-EDUCATORS WHO ARE NOT ALSO CERTIFIED MEMBERS

The Member follows the same process as described above.

D.PEER REVIEWS AT DISTANCE

1.Whenever possible, the Peer Review takes place in the Reviewee’s workplace with all involved present. Where this is not possible due to distance, illness, or other extenuating circumstances, these alternatives may be used, in the following order of preference:

a.The Peer Review is conducted in person at a meeting place acceptable to all involved. This may be in the workplace of one of the Review Team members or some other convenient location;

b.The Peer Review may be conducted in person at a regional or national gathering, e.g. conference or AGM;

c.The Peer Review may be conducted via video conference. If possible, the Reviewee and one Review Team member are together in one location and the second Review Team member is in a different location; and

d.The Peer Review may be conducted via teleconference. If possible, the Reviewee and one Review Team member are together in one location and the second Review Team member is in a different location.

2.The Regional Professional Practice Chair must approve any of the above arrangements. The Peer Review Report must be circulated for signatures. Electronic signatures will not be accepted.

E.PEER REVIEW RECIPROCITY

Where certified members of CASC/ACSS hold reciprocal certification with QASCP, APC, ACPE, NACC, AAPC, or NAJC, they may choose to complete their peer review with CASC/ACSSorwith their reciprocal certifying bodyorwith both associations. When a peer review is conducted with a reciprocal certifying body, the certified member is responsible to send a copy of the completed peer review to the National Peer Review Coordinator.

F.PEER REVIEW TIMELINES

Year 1 - 3 (example: 2013-15)

• Certification or previous Peer Review ratification – using National Convention Date.
• Member addresses the professional goals that were established during certification process or previous peer review.
• Member keeps track of annual activities for spiritual growth, professional development, and continuing education.

Year 3 (example: 2016)

• The National Peer Review Coordinator notifies Reviewee and the Regional Professional Practice Chair that a Peer Review is required to be completed in year 4.

Year 4 (example: 2017)

• The Peer Review is completed during this year.
• The Regional Professional Practice Chair appoints a CASC/ACSS Certified Peer Reviewer from the same stream to chair the Peer Review Team. The Reviewee selects one other CASC/ACSS certified Peer Reviewer and informs the Regional Professional Practice Chair of the choice. When the Reviewee is both a Certified member and a Supervisor-Educator, the Peer Review Team must include at least one Certified member and one Supervisor-Educator. The Peer Review Team usually includes two Peer Reviewers, but the Reviewee can invite others to participate in the process if desired.
• Once the Chair of the Peer Review Team has been appointed, the Reviewee connects with this person to establish a date for the review. Once the date is set, this information is shared with the Regional Professional Practice Chair.
• The Reviewee completes the Peer Review Form 3.1 and sends all written materials and documentation to the Peer Review Team at least 2 weeks prior to the Peer Review date.
• The Peer Review interview is intended to be a collegial process that invites the Reviewee to reflect on their professional practice over the 5-year period since certification or previous peer review. In a collaborative process between the Reviewee and the Peer Review Team, professional goals should be established to guide the next 5-year period of time.
• Once the Peer Review is complete, the Chair of the Peer Review Team ensures that the Peer Review Report Form 3.2 is completed and signed. The form is distributed as follows:

• The Reviewee receives a signed copy; and
• The National Peer Review Coordinator receives a signed copy of the report.

Year 5 (example: 2018)

• The Peer Review is ratified at the National Convention and a certificate is issued.
• The Chair of the Professional Practice Commission will send a letter to the Reviewee’s employer if the Reviewee has requested this on the Peer Review Form.

G.SUMMARY OF DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

1. Response to the Standards of Practice using Form 3.1. Supervisor-Educators should try to include relevant student feedback where possible given the requirements of confidentiality. Certified members may also wish to consider providing feedback from clients, patients and colleagues where possible. The completed Form 3.1 and supporting documentation must be in the hands of the Peer Review Team at least two weeks prior to the date of the interview.

1. Membership receipts and/or stickers for the previous five years’ membership in CASC/ACSS.

1. Documentation of at least 50 hours of personal and professional growth and development for each year, consisting of at least 16 hours of personal/spiritual growth, 14 hours of professional development activities; 10 hours of reading and use of research findings; 10 hours used in whatever manner most meaningful to the individual.

1. Evidence of endorsement and continued good standing by the Reviewee’s faith community or letters of reference (See Manual, Chapter 2, Section VI, Subsection B).

1. Certificate of completion of the CASC/ACSS Code of Ethics Module within the last five years.

1. Optional – performance reviews or other evaluations (certification and peer review).

November 2017