Certified Interviewer Development
Posted by: CQL on 12/15/2006
Filed under: Arkansas
Arkansas Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS)
The Situation
The Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L. C. (1999) provided an important legal framework for efforts to enable individuals with disabilities to live in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. The Court’s decision clearly challenged the states to develop more opportunities for individuals with disabilities through more accessible systems of cost-effective community-based services.
In Arkansas, the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) – working in collaboration with The Arc of Arkansas – decided to examine and assess the area of choice in living situation for people with disabilities in the state, by using CQL’s Personal Outcome Measures SM. People with disabilities were selected to become certified in the interview process, in order to gather valid and reliable data from people receiving services.
What CQL Did
CQL Certified Interviewers completed an established training process and were assessed for Inter-Rater Reliability levels prior to official certification. Re-certification occurs annually.
The certification process includes the following steps:
- Step One: Participation. All candidates for interviewer certification attend and participate in an assessment workshop conducted by CQL staff. This workshop provides a foundation of understanding in the use of the application of Personal Outcomes selected by the organization.
- Step Two: Observation. The second step pairs two people to work with a CQL representative. This step includes a discussion of interviewing strategies and observation of CQL staff during the interview, follow-up and decision making activities.
- Step Three: Preparation. Each candidate for interviewer certification conducts an interview and related follow-up activities with the support and coaching of the CQL trainer. Participants in the certification process have the opportunity to engage in an in-depth discussion regarding the interpretation for each outcome as defined by the people interviewed.
- Step Four: Reliability Assessment. The final step of the interviewer certification process is reliability measurement with CQL staff. The interviewer candidate conducts an interview and follow-up activities observed, but unassisted, by CQL. Outcome and individualized support determinations are made independently and compared.