Arizona - Peer Consultation
A benefit of membership.
Peer Consult Groups support our work as clinicians and strengthen the ties among us as we develop this unique organization.
If we are to cultivate new membership and leave a strong organization for those coming behind us, making the peer consultation system a little different is essential.
We need at least a minority of people from a variety of consult groups available to mentor new consult groups. Each consult group needs to have one or two spaces open so that new members can be absorbed soon after they join the organization.
Supporting new members quickly is a critical need. We need to see consult group membership as somewhat fluid and to not feel our trust is betrayed by group membership changes. After all, we are an organization that is about uniting our community, not dividing it. Few organizations could have consult groups with such a diversity of orientations and still have so much respect and appreciation for the strengths of both.
Peer group consultation and Peer supervision is a growing standard of practice across the country. In many cases, peer supervision is a required standard of behavior.
There are three reasons why you should consider starting, joining or formalize the group you may already participate in:
(1) Less Risk and Lower Liability. Licensing Boards and Courts are ruling more favorably on the part of professionals who demonstrate their dedication to clients and patients. Simple participation in a peer or supervision group can be enough to demonstrate your commitment and that you care about such matters.
(2) Save Time and Money. Groups are an effective means to ask routine questions about treatment and assessment issues as well as running and organizing your practice. You can save time and money in the long run.
3) Professional Growth. Groups are excellent ways to improve your skills as a practitioner, discuss real or hypothetical cases, and to obtain inexpensive and rewarding continuing education credits.
A professional must consider joining or creating a peer group if they answer Yes to any of these questions:
1. Do I represent my self as an expert without having a certification to that effect or do I have additional training that a court of law would automatically consider evidence of expert skill?
2. Do I work with challenging patients including personality disorders, self-harming, abused or potentially dangerous people?
3. Do I sometimes wish I had an opportunity to explore and discuss treatment issues on a real or hypothetical level?
4. And, if they answer NO to this question: Could I identify and describe in detail the practice patterns, values and standards of care used by other professionals who have similar practices?
Contacts for peer consultation
Use the following e-mail form to facilitate the development of peer consultation groups in your area.
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