Employee Credentialing Policy
As a program of the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania (MHASP), the Friends Connection has established a credentialing system for employees that assure standards for employment are clearly defined and upheld.
All current and prospective staff are informed of the personnel credentials necessary to hold their position in the agency. It is the responsibility of the Clinical Manager of the Friends Connection, in cooperation with the Director of MHASP's Human Resources Department, to inform all staff of the necessary qualifications as outlined in the formal MHASP job description.
It is the responsibility of each employee to furnish the required documentation as required by MHASP personal policy/job description, Commonwealth of PA standards and/or regulations, and Community Behavioral Health (CBH) requirements in Philadelphia County and Magellan's in Montgomery County. A credentialing file for each employee will be maintained and updated as necessary on an annual basis.
All credentialing documentation will be filed in a locked cabinet on site and be available for agency internal review and regulatory agency review (Commonwealth of PA/ Community Behavioral Health) as necessary.
All prospective Friends Connection employees who are hired for positions providing direct consumer services must complete a Request for Criminal History Check. The results of criminal history checks are kept confidential and are not publicly available. All Friends Connection employees will receive a copy of their job description immediately upon hire to the program. Files will be updated on an annual basis to ensure compliance with continuing education requirements.
Re-Credentialing Of Employees
Every 90 days the Clinical Manager will identify those staff members whose credentials require updating. The Clinical Manager will notify Human Resources to send for a criminal history check on staff members who are due for re-credentialing. In cooperation with the employee, the Clinical Manager will compile the required information and review new documentation within 10 working days prior to the due date for re-credentialing. This review will include:
- Results of criminal history check.
- Annual continuing education credits.
- Annual employee performance evaluations.
No later than 10 days after the Clinical Manager reviews this information, the employee will be notified of the outcome of the review through a written letter of approval. If approved for re-credentialing, the approval will last for a period of two years.