Onboarding Therapists
Step-By-Step
Person expresses interestResume Review (Sarah) to look for: Licensure, skills, experienceInterview is scheduled (Sarah) and person's outreach is documented on HR spreadsheetInterview conductedIf offer is extended, rate is set and onboarding documents are requested
Stipends (Payment) / Fee For Service / Independent Contractors
At Droste, our therapists are independent contractor(s), meaning not on payroll as an employee. Each therapist will then set the terms and conditions for engagement (i.e what types of clients / issues you work with, what hours you prefer to work, etc.) Droste will then refer clients to therapists who best fit their needs.
Many practices that use independent contractors will set one-rate for seeing clients. However at Droste, we set rates by using a percentage of revenue received because of our sliding scale structure. This means, FFS folks (independent contractors / therapists) receive a percentage of client fees, starting at 35% and going up to 55% for fully licensed therapists with experience at Droste.
5% raise each year, capping at 50% with an additional 5% raise when you get fully licensed (LMHC, LCSW, LCAT). If you join fully licensed, then 5% until you reach 55%.
Session Cancellations
Missed or Canceled Sessions
With therapy, consistency is key! It is important to keep up momentum and continuity of the therapeutic process. Droste’s policy for clients who need to cancel is 24 hours notice or they will be charged for the missed session. This is outlined in the initial paperwork and in the Welcome Packet HERE.
Therapists are encouraged to review this information with the client to encourage the utmost clarity and transparency of terms. Each therapist has the right to waive this policy at their own discretion. Just use your best judgment. If the client’s circumstances warrant, the therapist may elect to waive the fee. In this case, the therapist should communicate clearly that despite the Droste cancellation policy, they are making an exception in this case, etc. The client should expect to be charged as per Droste policy, so be clear if you are making an exception for them.
If the client is canceling more consistently, and the therapist continues to waive the cancellation fees, we risk mixed messaging which could lead to boundary and communication issues. Discussion of cost sharing
Where does Droste’s money go? … rent, insurance, equipment,, admin support, infrastructure (TherapyNotes), utilities, subsidizing other below market-rate fees.Catholic Charities Grant Policies
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Participants
All participants will receive Catholic Charities Grant Participant Agreement Form. We will provide therapy to CCG participants, free of charge, through the generous support of Catholic Charities of New York.
Eligibility requirements will be outlined as well as the services provided at Droste and the terms for Grant recipients.
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Attendance Policies
Canceled Sessions
Droste has a 24-hour cancellation policy. If grant recipients miss more than 2 sessions without providing 24 hours’ notice, they will no longer be eligible to receive therapy through this grant. If they wish to continue with therapy, the therapist will set a per session fee based on our sliding scale. If grant recipients cancel more than 4 sessions in the first two months of therapy services, they may lose eligibility to receive services through this grant. *Therapists are empowered to make exceptions to this policy when/if applicable.
If, at the end of the 16 sessions of individual therapy, grant recipient and clinician agree that more therapy would be beneficial, continuation of services at a sliding scale rate may apply.
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Eligibility
Any student, staff, or parent of a student at Droste’s designated partner schools is eligible for 16 sessions of free individual therapy and one series of group therapy.
▪ Currently, couples counseling is not covered under this program
▪ Sessions involving parents and their children (collateral sessions) are allowed at the discretion of the therapist.
▪ Individual sessions are 45 minutes; held virtually or in-person. Virtual sessions use: Google Meets, Zoom, or Therapy Notes’ virtual platform. (LINK to virtual sessions)
▪ As our therapists are licensed in New York State, grant recipients must live in New York State or receive therapy while you are located in New York State. If grant recipients travel outside of New York State, they are not able to receive therapy services until they return to New York.
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Responsibilities
Therapists are responsible for working with grant recipients to develop goals for therapy and a plan for reaching those goals.
Grant recipients sign an agreement making them aware that the therapeutic relationship is a partnership, and that their responsibility is to attend sessions and engage with the therapist in setting, or re-setting therapy goals, and providing feedback to the therapist.
Supervisor Policies
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If a Supervisor can’t provide back-up support to clients, please let the ED know so she can provide back-up. Droste does not mandate supervision for fully licensed practitioners – otherwise should be discussed w exec director.
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Interns = weekly
0-19 non-fully licensed = at least bi-weekly
20+ = weekly
Fully licensed = at discretion — Droste does not mandate supervision for fully licensed practitioners unless otherwise requested (must be negotiated with Exec Dir).
Office of Professions guidelines on Supervision for LCSWs HERE
Office of Professions guidelines on Supervision for LMHCs HERE
Supervisors should always be aware of when supervisees are Out of Office and should be prepared to act as an emergency back up to clients. Contact ED for additional coverage support.
General link to Office of the Professions HERE
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$85–any non-fully licensed person with a caseload of 16+; requires review and approval of notes / treatment planning in Therapy Notes and availability
$45–any non-fully licensed person with a caseload of 0-15
$25–any fully licensed person
Client caseloads will be checked the last week of the month for that month.
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Clinician’s Responsibility
Come to supervision prepared to discuss challenging cases and with goals identified for each case as well as your plan for next steps. If you are struggling to conceptualize any of these areas, raise this concern to your supervisor to discuss together
Actively search out information regarding modalities or resources that would be helpful to clients and/or are suggested by supervisor
Engage in honest and thoughtful reflection of self
Complete documentation required for clients at least weekly and ensure that clients complete required documentation for DMHS
(Interns) Maintain accurate timesheet and provide to supervisor regularly for signing
Supervisor’s Responsibility
Provide at least 1 hour of supervision weekly and be available for emergency consultations as necessary
Assign cases in coordination with Executive Director and Intake Coordinator
Review any process recordings
Complete any required school forms including evaluations; participate in any conferences with school liaisons
Review and approve notes in Therapy Notes, providing edits as needed.
Intern Policy
Onboarding Interns
Droste has a limited number of internship opportunities each year. Interns are different from volunteers, staff, or independent contractors as they are working on agreed-upon tasks in exchange for academic credit. Interns do not receive separate payment for the hours worked.
For any person who is accepted as an intern, certain paperwork is required including:
1) Letter of Agreement that outlines the policies and procedures, especially around confidentiality, that the intern is agreeing to
2) Copy of Resumé,
3) School Agreement/Contract outlining what the school’s responsibilities are, what the intern’s responsibilities are, and what Droste’s responsibilities are,
4) New Team Member Info Page
5) Liability insurance (sometimes interns have to purchase separately, sometimes school provides)
All interns will then receive onboarding training that will include an orientation to Droste and a review of any policies or procedures applicable to their work.
Interns at Droste will either be assigned programmatic tasks (generalist interns) or clinical work (clinical interns).
Supervision
All interns at Droste receive at least one hour of supervision weekly with additional supervision time available as needed. Some years, group supervision may also be included as part of the supervision plan. It is each intern’s responsibility to come to supervision prepared with questions, challenges, or successes to discuss. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure time is dedicated for supervision each week.
School Assignments
Each program has different requirements regarding what assignments are expected to be completed as a part of the internship experience. It is the student’s responsibility to know if there are journals, process recordings, or other assignments like an education plan needed and to complete them in a timely fashion. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to provide timely and substantive feedback on those assignments (within one week).
Similarly, the intern is responsible for asking for any necessary evaluations and providing at least a week’s notice for those evaluations.
Programmatic Interns (Generalist)
There are a number of projects that programmatic interns may be assigned to work on at Droste. In the initial discussions about the possibility of placement, a Droste representative and the potential intern will discuss projects currently available and the intern’s area of interest to determine a mutually agreed-upon work agreement. Sometimes this is a specific project, sometimes it is an agreement on categories of assignments. These interns are typically either a first year student with prior work experience or a second-year student in a policy or programming track. The projects agreed upon will determine if the placement is a virtual, in-person, or hybrid placement.
Clinical Interns
Droste Mental Health Services clinical placement is largely an in-person placement with virtual options. The intern’s specific schedule should be discussed and agreed upon by the supervisor at the start of the placement. Intern’s main work will be clinical work with clients determined by Supervisor at Droste. This may include phone intakes and assessments, individual sessions, family sessions, couples counseling, or clinical groups.
School Agreements & Requirements
Sign an Affiliation Agreement between school and agency (placement). Each school should provide their specific agreement to Droste.
Ultimately, you as the student are responsible for knowing your school’s requirements. Droste is committed to completing any documentation requested in a timely manner, including education plans or evaluations, but it is each student’s do our part to aid in the completion of the requirements (such as process recording feedback, etc) but each intern is responsible for providing timely notification to Droste of any needed items.
DMHS Office Protocol
1. Therapy Rooms
Business Administrator Joanne DeLuca maintains a schedule for set reservations and rescheduled slots. Executive Clinical Director, Sarah Strole (s.strole@drostemhservices.org) will maintain the schedule if Jo is out. Always communicate with Jo if you are not coming in as scheduled in addition to any changes/additions you require. There is an air purifier and disinfecting supplies in each room. Please leave the room as you found it for the next clinician. Put pillows, chairs if applicable, supplies etc. back in place. If you need to replace an empty box there are tissues in the storage closet under the mailboxes in the staff room, top left shelf. The garbage is emptied Tuesdays and Thursdays. If you throw away food or beverages please do so in the staff room, not in the therapy rooms. When you are finished in the therapy room in addition to the above, please unplug the air purifier, turn off the sound machine and leave the door open.
2. Staff Room - The staff room is available for your use. Note the following:
Mugs/Water Bottles: In the closet above the sink, bottom shelf, there are assorted mugs and water bottles. Note the ones on the right have names on the bottom and belong to team members. The ones on the left are blank or have names crossed out. There is a sharpie in the closet.....if you don't have a mug and would like one, feel free to put your name on any mug on the left that is blank or has a name crossed out. (Or use any mug without a name on it). Please do not use a mug or water bottle that is marked with another team member's name.
Glasses, flatware, paper goods, ETC. Coffee pods/Keurig, tea, tea kettle, microwave and toaster oven are there for your use. Please shut off the Keurig, tea kettle and toaster oven when you are finished.
Refrigerator/Freezer: Also for your use, note the top shelf in the refrigerator is marked "COMMUNITY SHELF...Help Yourself". Please do and or put any item on the shelf you would like to share with the team. For anyone that wants to mark their items, of course do so. For all items in the fridge/freezer that you did not bring in please do not take or consume them.....marked or unmarked.
Basic Supplies: In the cabinet under the mailboxes there are napkins, masks, light bulbs, fabric spray, and tissues. On the shelf and in the cabinet under the toaster oven there is additional paper towel. We would appreciate your replenishing if you take/use the last one. There is a paper shredder to the right of the mailboxes.....be sure to turn it off after use.
Bookshelf - Borrow any of the books on the shelf and please return them when you are finished.
EAP - The most current Emergency Action Plan (8/21/23) as advised by the FDNY for our building is posted on the inside of the back door of the staff room.