Protecting the safety of individuals receiving services is non-negotiable, and it often hinges on direct staff supervision.
Lapses of supervision are one of the most common factors in abuse and neglect cases substantiated by the Justice Center.
While some lapses in supervision arise from staff behavior, establishing a solid, comprehensive policy is the foundation of proper supervision.
Your supervision policy should define what supervision means to the agency, identify staff responsibilities, establish procedures for communicating supervision requirements, provide guidance for maintaining supervision, and outline expectations for administration oversight.
The steps below can help you craft an effective supervision policy.
ESTABLISH the goal for the policy. How will the policy help to ensure supervision is provided as required by plans of care? What specific issues will the policy address? Include the significance and purpose of providing the required levels of supervision to people receiving services.
DETERMINE whether policies related to supervision already exist that could be amended or consolidated. Are there “unwritten” policies in place that staff follow that should be formally documented or memorialized? Are there outdated versions of a policy that need to be updated? Is there guidance regarding supervision requirements from licensing agencies that must be incorporated into the policy?
IDENTIFY AND COLLABORATE with stakeholders who will be impacted by this new policy and incorporate their feedback and applicable suggestions into the policy. Be sure to include the people receiving services and an agency’s most valuable asset – the dedicated direct care staff providing supervision!
REVIEW the policy to ensure language is consistent with any guidance or regulations from licensing agencies.
REPLACE any outdated versions of the policy. Ensure revisions are clearly noted and the new policy is dated.
DISTRIBUTE the new or revised policy to all stakeholders and anyone impacted by the policy, and clearly identify the date the new policy will take effect.
TRAIN all staff on the new policy prior to implementation. Ensure all staff are trained, including contract, part-time, per diem, or float staff, as well as staff who work non-traditional hours. Document the training provided and maintain the documentation in an organized, accessible manner. Provide ongoing training on the policy and training to new staff before they are assigned supervision.
EVALUATE how well the new policy is working. Check in with staff to determine if the policy is helping to ensure that supervision is provided as required for individuals receiving services and is effectively addressing supervision issues. If they have any questions or suggestions for revision, address them accordingly.
REVISIT AND REVIEW policies on a regular basis, including after incidents involving breaches in supervision, and revise as necessary. Ensure all policy revisions are dated.
To further guide you in this process, we encourage you to review and download the Justice Center’s Best Practices for Providing Supervision Toolkit for information on the essential elements of a supervision policy, best practices for providing supervision, as well as sample forms, documents, and reference sheets for use in creating and implementing your policy.
This vital resource plays an important role in preventing breaches of supervision.
Access the Interactive Toolkit
