Consultation and Collaboration: An Introduction

1. Part I:Consultation and Consultants,Collaboration and Collaborators

2. Chapter I: Introduction and Overview

3. Consultation Defined • Consultation is a process in which a human services professional assists a consultee with a work-related (or caretaking-related) problem with a client system, with the goal of helping both the consultee and the client system in some specific way.

4. Consultation deals exclusively with the consultee’s work-related or care-giving related problems. The consultant and consultee work together in solving the problems defined by consultation. Consultation Defined

5. Role of human service professional Problem-solving process Triadic in nature Helping relationship Internal or external Voluntary for all parties Relationship of peers Collaborative Temporary Remedial or developmental . Characteristics of Consultation

6. ConsultativeRelationship • The relationship between the consultee and consultant is one of peers, of two equals. Though the two roles are equal in terms of power, it is the consultee who has the greatest need within the consultative relationship.

7. Consultation and Consultants • Who are consultants? • Who are consultees? • Who is the client system?

8. Priority can be given to either consultee or client system depending on the approach used by the consultant The consultant provides indirect service to the client system by providing direct service to the consultee Consultants and Consultees

9. Rights of Consultation Participants • Participation in consultation is voluntary for all parties involved • Consultees are free to do whatever they wish with the consultant’s they wish with consultant’s suggestions and recommendations

10. Length of Consultation • Though the consultation relationship is temporary, the length of consultation may range from a single session to weekly sessions for more than a year.

11. Triad of Consultation Consultant Consultee Client System Figure 1.2 The triadic relationship in consultation

12. Collaboration Defined • Collaboration is very similar to consultation in that it follows the same problem-solving process • Collaboration involves the interactive exchange of resources, interdependence, and a focus on decision making.

13. Collaboration cont’d • Collaboration is a service in which the helper accepts responsibility for the mental health aspects of a case.

14. The Relationships of the Parties in Collaboration Collaborator # 1 Collaborator # 2 Client System Figure 1.3 The Relationships of the Parties in Collaboration

15. Mental Health Consultation and Mental Health Collaboration Contrasted on Key Dimensions

16. From: Caplan, G.R., Caplan, R.B., and Erchul, W.P. (1994). Caplan mental health consultation: Historical background and current status. Consulting Psychology Journal, 1994, p.7. By permission of publisher.

17. A Distinguishing Difference Between Consultation and Collaboration • In consultation, the consultee retains responsibility for the outcome, is considered to be the determiner of the suitability of possible interventions, and is responsible for adequate implementation of the intervention (i.e., ensuring treatment integrity) (Zins & Erchul, 1995).

18. Chapter II: Consultants, Consultees, and Collaborators

19. Skill Areas for Consultants and Collaborators • Interpersonal skills • Communication skills • Problem-solving skills • Skills in working with organizations

20. Skill Areas for Consultants and Collaborators cont’d • Group skills • Skills in dealing with cultural diversity • Ethical and professional behavior skills

21. Nature of the problem Purpose and desired outcomes of consultation Skills of the consultant Skills of the consultee Roles of the Consultant:The consultant can take on a variety of roles depending on several factors:

22. Common Consultation and Collaboration Roles Directive * Advocacy Expert Trainer/Educator Collaborator Fact Finder Process Specialist * Non-directive

23. Internal/External Consultants • A consultant can either be separate from or part of the system in which consultation is to occur.

24. Research in Consultation and Collaboration Consultation research suggests that consultation has efficacy even though consultation practice has outpaced its body of research.

25. Research cont’d • The research on collaboration is very limited

26. Chapter III: Entry Stage

27. Stage I: Entry • Phase One: Exploring Organizational Needs • Phase Two: Contracting • Phase Three: Physically Entering the System • Phase Four: Psychologically Entering the System

28. Phase One:Exploring Organizational NeedsTo Consult or Not to Consult • Why am I here? • Who are you? • What is likely to happen? • What will be the result? • What can go wrong?

29. Reason for contracting: To clearly define expectations of both consultant and consultee Elements of a contract: goals time frame responsibility of consultant & agency boundaries review and evaluation Phase Two: Contracting

30. Phase Three: Physically Entering the System • Moving into “work space” • Getting to know employees of organization • Adapt to organization’s schedule • Have those affected by consultation informed about the consultant’s role

31. Phase Four: Psychologically Entering the System • The gradual acceptance of the consultant by members of the organization in which consultation is being performed • Consider the process level (how organization functions) and personal interaction (how people within an organization function)

32. During Phase Four a Consultant Should. . . • Create trustworthiness by. . . • Demonstrating understanding • Using power appropriately • Respecting confidentiality • Exhibiting credibility

33. Multicultural Implications:Entry Stage • Be aware of other’s value systems • Use effective communication and interpersonal skill • Determine comfort level in dealing with any cultural or ethnic issues related to the problem • Be aware of how cultural differences may impact the outcome of consultation

34. Application of Multicultural Implications for Entry • Certain minority cultural groups may be concerned about the interpersonal orientation of a consultant who is from a majority culture; whereas, a consultee from a majority culture may be more interested in the assistance-value of a consultant

35. Chapter IV: Diagnosis Stage

36. Stage II: Diagnosis • Phase One: Gathering Information • Phase Two: Defining the Problem • Phase Three: Setting Goals • Phase Four: Generating Possible Interventions

37. Phase One: Gathering Information • Deciding to proceed • Selecting dimension • Deciding who will be involved in data collection • Selecting the data collection methods

38. Types of Data • Genetic data • Current descriptive data • Process data • Interpretive data • Consultee-client system relationship data • Client system behavior data

39. Means of Collecting Data • Interviews • Surveys • Questionnaires • Observation • Documents/Records

40. Phase Two: Defining the Problem • How many factors affect the problem? • How has the problem developed over time? • What past events are causing the current problem? • How are future expectations related?

41. Phase Three: Setting Goals • The process of shaping, a movement toward concreteness and specificity from a broader, more general perspective

42. Specify objective How will objective be measured? Specify target Specify time span Prioritize goals Rate goals Determine coordination requirements Goal Setting Steps

43. Phase Four: Generating Possible Interventions • Intervention-a force that attempts to modify some outcome. In consultation, interventions are actions or activities that, when put together in a systematic manner, make up a plan to achieve a goal

44. Multicultural Implications:Diagnosis Stage • Be aware of differences in gathering data • Be aware of perceptions of what needs to be accomplished held by consultee • Cultural differences can play a role in the interventions proposed

45. Application of MulticulturalImplications for Diagnosis • Consultee from a high context culture may prefer interviewing and observation; whereas, those from a low context culture may prefer surveys or document research • Some cultural groups may see the focus of diagnosis as being the group, and some may see the focus as being the individual

46. Chapter V: Implementation Stage

47. Stage III: Implementation • Phase One: Choosing an Intervention • Phase Two: Formulating a Plan • Phase Three: Implementing the Plan • Phase Four: Evaluating the Plan

48. Phase One: Choosing an Intervention • Select one or two interventions that have a high probability of being successful • Take advantage of decision consultation

49. Types of Interventions • Individual Interventions • Dyadic and Triadic Interventions • Interventions for use between groups • Interventions for the entire organization

50. Phase Two: Formulating the Plan • Plan- a detailed step-by-step method, formulated before hand, for doing something. • Considerations- • What (objective) • Where (locale of implementation) • When (time frame) • How (methods, procedures, sequence) • Who (who is responsible for what)