SOP_NUMBER: 508.04-att-3 TITLE: Criteria for Clinical Privileges REFERENCE_CODE: VG10-0001 DIVISION: Mental Health Services TOPIC_AREA: 508 Policy-MH Administration/Staff/Certification EFFECTIVE_DATE: 2020-12-14 WORD_COUNT: 1007 POWERDMS_URL: https://public.powerdms.com/GADOC/documents/265995 URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/508.04-att-3/ SUMMARY: This attachment establishes the educational and training requirements that mental health staff must meet to perform specific clinical functions within the Georgia Department of Corrections. It covers four main categories of clinical work: counseling services, therapy, evaluations, and psychological testing. Staff must meet minimum degree requirements and, in many cases, complete supervised clinical experience before being authorized to provide these services to incarcerated individuals. KEY_TOPICS: clinical privileges, mental health counseling, individual therapy, group therapy, psychological testing, mental health evaluation, sexual abuse therapy, administrative segregation evaluation, disciplinary evaluation, clinical supervision, master's degree requirements, licensed mental health professionals, behavior specialists, correctional case management, psychoeducational training ATTACHMENTS: 1. Request For Clinical Privileges URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/508.04-att-1/ 3. Criteria for Clinical Privileges URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/508.04-att-3/ ======================================================================== FULL TEXT: ======================================================================== SOP 508.04 Attachment 3 12/14/20 **GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS** **MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES** **Criteria for Clinical Privileges** Refer to these criteria by number and letter to justify approving/disapproving an applicant's clinical privilege request. I. Counseling A. To perform Supportive Counseling, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a bachelor's degree in counseling, psychology or a closely related field. B. To perform Psychoeducational Training, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a bachelor's degree in counseling, psychology or a closely related field, 2. Or at least having co-facilitated a psychoeducational group. C. To perform Correctional Case Management, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a bachelor's degree. D. To conduct Life Skills Training, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a bachelor's degree. II. Therapy A. To perform Individual Therapy, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), psychology, or meet the educational requirements as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. 2. And two years of clinical supervision while providing services to a mental health population. B. To perform Group Therapy: 1. Without a licensed co-facilitator, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: a. At least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), Form no. M10-01-03 Page 1 of 4 Retention Schedule: This criteria on this attachment shall be utilized until obsolete or replaced. SOP 508.04 Attachment 3 12/14/20 **Criteria for Clinical Privileges (cont’d)** psychology, or meet the educational requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. b. and at least three (3) months of co-facilitating a therapy group and receiving clinical supervision from a licensed clinician. (The clinical supervisor must assess the counselor's or behavior specialist's skills to be appropriate before granting the privilege at the three (3) month interval). 2. With a licensed co-facilitator, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs at least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), psychology, or meet the educational requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. C. To perform Sexual Abuse Therapy, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in counseling or a related field, a. At least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), psychology or meet the educational requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. 2. Have successfully completed Georgia Department of Correction's Sexual Assault Counseling Training Program. III. Evaluations A. To perform Mental Health Reception Screens, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a bachelor's degree and training in performing mental health reception screens. B. To perform the Mental Health Service Screen/Evaluation, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), psychology, or meet the educational requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. Form no. M10-01-03 Page 2 of 4 Retention Schedule: This criteria on this attachment shall be utilized until obsolete or replaced. SOP 508.04 Attachment 3 12/14/20 **Criteria for Clinical Privileges (cont’d)** C. To perform the On-Call Triage, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. Without having to call the on-call psychiatrist for consultation whenever he/she is asked to make a clinical decision, at least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), psychology, or meet the educational requirements as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. 2. While having to call the on-call psychiatrist for consultation whenever he/she is asked to make a clinical decision, at least a bachelor's degree with a major in counseling, psychology or a closely related field. D. To perform a Sexual Allegation Evaluation, a mental health counselor or behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), psychology, or meet the educational requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. 2. and, to have successfully completed Georgia Department of Correction's Sexual Allegation Counseling Training Program. E. To perform a Disciplinary Evaluation, a mental health provider needs: 1. To be a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, certified psychiatric clinical nurse specialist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed professional counselor, licensed master's social worker, or licensed master's family therapist. F. To perform an Administrative Segregation Evaluation, a qualified mental health provider needs: 1. At least a master's degree in counseling (with adequate emphasis in the mental health field), psychology, or meet the educational requirements for licensure as a clinical social worker, marriage and family counselor or psychologist. IV. Psychological Testing A. To administer and score Intelligence Tests, a behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in psychology or a related field. Form no. M10-01-03 Page 3 of 4 Retention Schedule: This criteria on this attachment shall be utilized until obsolete or replaced. SOP 508.04 Attachment 3 12/14/20 **Criteria for Clinical Privileges** **(cont’d)** 2. and to have passed a skill assessment by his/her clinical supervisor B. To administer and score Objective Personality Tests, a behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in psychology or a related field, 2. and to have passed a skill assessment by his/her clinical supervisor. C. To administer and score Projective Personality Tests, under the direct supervision of a psychologist, a behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in psychology or a related field, 2. and one year of clinically supervised experience administering and scoring projective tests, 3. and to have passed a skill assessment by his/her clinical supervisor. D. To administer and score Neuropsychological Tests, under the direct supervision of a psychologist, a behavior specialist needs: 1. At least a master's degree in psychology or a related field, 2. and to have passed a skill assessment by his/her clinical supervisor. Form no. M10-01-03 Page 4 of 4 Retention Schedule: This criteria on this attachment shall be utilized until obsolete or replaced.