Counselor Accountability

Abstract

With increasing competition for the tax dollar, it seems that the public demand for counselor accountability may persist. Therefore it may be in the best interest of the profession to seize the initiative by demonstrating collective worth via some accountability strategy, thus obviating the need for external monitoring and control. This professional initiative may protect the freedom of counselors to assume their appropriate roles and attend to the individual needs and aspirations of their clients.

Systematic Inquiry in the School Context

“…Even though it may be years before the technology develops to a point where the merit of such inquiry can be established in advance and with certainty, we can illafford to wait. Doing so will in our judgment only increase the likelihood that pragmatic decisions will be made arbitrarily and from the outside (Knapper, 1978).…”

“…Increasing fiscal and social conservatism, coupled with the spiraling costs of education, are clear indicators that the accountability provided by scientific inquiry will receive increasing priority in the school setting (Froehle, 1971;Knapper, 1978). This will certainly prove correct if the funding and management patterns of schools parallel those of other social service agencies, particularly those of mental health services during the past several years.…”

Measuring Counseling Effectiveness: The Role of Client, Counselor, and Agency

“…If the profession of counseling was active in the development and implementation of evaluation and accountability systems, we would be in a better position to control our fate than if the pressure for accountability comes from outside the profession (Knapper, 1978).…”

Computer‐Based Accountability: Implications for Training

“…These were subsequently followed with models that addressed interpersonal characeristics, environmental considerations, or procedural implications (Carroll, 1980;Crabbs, 1983;Thompson & Borsari, 1978). In addition to these models, articles have appeared attesting to counselor characteristics that facilitate or impede accountability (Baker, 1977), counselor attitudes or beliefs as a primary characteristic in the accountability process (Crabbs & Crabbs, 1977), and counselor decision making and value judgments relating to accountability (Knapper, 1978).…”