Section 1
A Detailed Examination of an Agency
What is the name of the agency?
What is the agency's address?
How many total staff members does the agency have (all individuals who work at the agency)?
How many administrators are there and what are their roles?
Which types of degrees do the administrators have?
What are the approximate salaries of the administrators?
How many direct-service personnel (mental health professionals who work with clients) are there?
What are the types of direct-service personnel (e.g., mental health aides, therapists, supervisors, program coordinators, group leaders, family counselors)?
Which types of degrees are held by direct-service personnel?
What are the approximate salaries of direct-service personnel?
What are the number and type of support staff (e.g., secretaries, clerical staff)?
Is this a private or a public agency?
Where does the agency get its funding?
Does the agency have a policy and practices statement (a written statement that explains the functions of the agency and the roles of the staff)?
Who are the clients of this agency?
How does the agency obtain its clients?
What happens when a client initially contacts this agency?
Is there a process in which client problems are diagnosed, client needs are assessed, goals are established, referrals are made, and follow-up is accomplished?
How do clients pay for services?
Which types of counseling or assistance take place at this agency (e.g., individual, group, family)?
How long are typical counseling/interviewing sessions?
Which kinds of paperwork do the direct-service personnel have to fill out?
How many hours, days, weeks, months, or years would a typical client spend at this agency?
How are services for the typical client terminated?
How does the agency evaluate itself?
Does a staff development effort take place at the agency (e.g., in-house workshops, guest speakers, monetary support for conferences)?
How does the agency deal with ethical concerns related to confidentiality, counselor training, and competence?
Does the policy and practices statement of the agency match what actually goes on within the agency?