Client Matching
Understanding the Client / Coach-Mentor Matching Process
Finding the right Coach-Mentor for each of our clients is critically important and essential for success. While all our Coach-Mentors possess the required characteristics and experience to help our clients with their particular circumstances, we take it a step further and really drill down to specifics examining and reviewing numerous dynamics we consider essential. Personality, strengths, individual experiences and other distinctive qualities are all evaluated on their own merits in terms of determining best match for our clients. Even real life common interests are considered in our matching process. There’s a lot too it, even before our clients are ever introduced to their Coach-Mentor or small team of supporters.
Personalized Best Match
In geographic areas where we already have Coach-Mentors working, we want to evaluate the unique needs of each of our client and find a Coach-Mentor for that person that is well matched. We don’t necessarily select someone from our existing pool – we take the time and energy to find, recruit and on-board Coach-Mentors to ensure our clients are being matched with the most suitable Coach-Mentor for them. In geographic areas where we don’t already have Coach-Mentors working, we still use the above mentioned process as we are continually recruiting around the country.
We first spend time speaking with family members, clinicians, the referral source and the client to help understand them as a person, who they may work best with, what their needs and goals are and how they envision the relationship working. Then, we go to work to find the right Coach-Mentor. We recruit for Coach-Mentors in close geographic proximity to where our clients live since the work we do with clients is in person – at their home or where they are living now, in their local community.
Recruitment / On-Boarding
We utilize a number of proven and best practice recruitment efforts to find qualified Coach-Mentor applicants. Then, we begin the in-depth task of screening them for our particular client(s). We spend time speaking to applicants by telephone and video conferencing, and then in person. There is always multiple touch points along the way, by one or more leadership staff at Coach-Mentors. This allows us to share our unique impressions and reach a collective decision about the individual’s match to be one of our Coach-Mentors. We also conduct reference checks, and background checks. As we narrow the search from a long list to our short list, we remain in contact with the client, their family and the referral source to keep them updated as the client and family can and sometimes do play a helpful, collaborative role in our best match selection process. Once cleared to go, we provide orientation training for all new Coach-Mentors, as well as supplemental training as needed based on the individualized needs of the client.
Collaboration and Planning
Throughout this process, as we expand our knowledge and understanding of the client, we are developing and writing an individualized Action Plan. This document will help guide and direct the work we do and is inclusive of feedback from everyone involved – the client, the family, any professional providing treatment and the referring professional. This truly makes it a collaborative team approach.
Finally, the client (and identified family members if appropriate) have an opportunity to review the Action Plan and meet the Coach-Mentor before deciding “officially” to contract with Coach-Mentors to provide service. We are so confident in the work we do, both in selecting a Coach-Mentor and representing our work and approach in the Action Plan, that we invest the time and resources into this foundation first before the client/family makes the decision to engage our services.
Specialized Team for Comprehensive Support
For clients who need more extensive support, we bring together a small team of Coach-Mentors to meet their needs from daily touch-points to “round the clock availability”. For example, we have been asked to provide more intensive, wrap around support such as: 5 hours a day/5 days a week and 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and various times in between. These “Customized Packages” of Coach-Mentors time often require a team of Coach-Mentors so the client is assured of uninterrupted support.
The process by which we recruit and on-board these Coach-Mentors is largely the same as described above. As well we consider additional dynamics, such as how well each Coach-Mentor can work as part of a close-knit team and verifying at least one Coach-Mentor has the skill and experience to additionally serve as a the local supervisor. This individual typically has more leadership, management and clinical experience, and serves as the administrative and operational supervisor for the team. New challenges emerge when we develop more intensive support as the services begin to function much like a mini, individualized residential support program. Scheduling, coordination and communication requires additional focus, and there are typically additional team members (discharging program, psychiatrist, therapist, parent/family members, referring professional, etc) who need close communication and as such, the regional supervisor serves as the primary liaison for the Coach-Mentor team.
Regional Coach-Mentor teams are supported by the Coach-Mentor’s leadership team inclusive of our Service Engagement Supervisor and Executive Director.