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Mentoring Services Definition
Purpose
Individuals participating in Mentoring Services develop supportive, positive relationships that contribute to the achievement of personal, social, and educational growth.Definition
Note:Please see MS Reference List for the research that informed the development of these standards.
Note:For information about changes made in the 2020 Edition, please see the MS Crosswalk.
Mentoring Services (MS) 1: Person-Centered Logic Model
Logic models have been implemented for all programs and the organization has identified at least two outcomes for all its programs.
Practices are basically sound but there is room for improvement, as noted in the ratings for the Practice Standards; e.g.,
- Logic models need improvement or clarification; or
- Logic models are still under development for some of its programs, but are completed for all high-risk programs such as protective services, foster care, residential treatment, etc.; or
- At least one outcome has been identified for all of its programs.
Practice requires significant improvement, as noted in the ratings for the Practice Standards. Service quality or program functioning may be compromised; e.g.,
- Logic models need significant improvement; or
- Logic models are still under development for a majority of programs; or
- A logic model has not been developed for one or more high-risk programs; or
- Outcomes have not been identified for one or more programs.
Implementation of the standard is minimal or there is no evidence of implementation at all, as noted in the ratings for the Practice Standards; e.g.,
- Logic models have not been developed or implemented; or
- Outcomes have not been identified for any programs.
MS 1.01
A program logic model, or equivalent framework, identifies:
- needs the program will address;
- available human, financial, organizational, and community resources (i.e. inputs);
- program activities intended to bring about desired results;
- program outputs (i.e. the size and scope of services delivered);
- desired outcomes (i.e. the changes you expect to see in persons served); and
- expected long-term impact on the organization, community, and/or system.
Examples: Please see the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Logic Model Development Guide and COA Accreditaiton’s PQI Tool Kit for more information on developing and using program logic models.
Examples: Information that may be used to inform the development of the logic model includes, but is not limited to:
- needs assessments and periodic reassessments; and
- the best available evidence of service effectiveness.
MS 1.02
The logic model identifies desired outcomes in at least two of the following areas:
- change in clinical status;
- change in functional status;
- health, welfare, and safety;
- permanency of life situation;
- quality of life;
- achievement of individual service goals; and
- other outcomes as appropriate to the program or service population.
Interpretation: Outcomes data should be disaggregated to identify patterns of disparity or inequity that can be masked by aggregate data reporting. See PQI 5.02 for more information on disaggregating data to track and monitor identified outcomes.
Mentoring Services (MS) 2: Personnel
- With some exceptions, staff (direct service providers, supervisors, and program managers) possess the required qualifications, including education, experience, training, skills, temperament, etc., but the integrity of the service is not compromised; or
- Supervisors provide additional support and oversight, as needed, to the few staff without the listed qualifications; or
- Most staff who do not meet educational requirements are seeking to obtain them; or
- With few exceptions, staff have received required training, including applicable specialized training; or
- Training curricula are not fully developed or lack depth; or
- Training documentation is consistently maintained and kept up-to-date with some exceptions; or
- A substantial number of supervisors meet the requirements of the standard, and the organization provides training and/or consultation to improve competencies when needed; or
- With few exceptions, caseload sizes are consistently maintained as required by the standards or as required by internal policy when caseload has not been set by a standard; or
- Workloads are such that staff can effectively accomplish their assigned tasks and provide quality services and are adjusted as necessary; or
- Specialized services are obtained as required by the standards.
- A significant number of staff (direct service providers, supervisors, and program managers) do not possess the required qualifications, including education, experience, training, skills, temperament, etc.; and as a result, the integrity of the service may be compromised; or
- Job descriptions typically do not reflect the requirements of the standards, and/or hiring practices do not document efforts to hire staff with required qualifications when vacancies occur; or
- Supervisors do not typically provide additional support and oversight to staff without the listed qualifications; or
- A significant number of staff have not received required training, including applicable specialized training; or
- Training documentation is poorly maintained; or
- A significant number of supervisors do not meet the requirements of the standard, and the organization makes little effort to provide training and/or consultation to improve competencies; or
- There are numerous instances where caseload sizes exceed the standards' requirements or the requirements of internal policy when a caseload size is not set by the standard; or
- Workloads are excessive, and the integrity of the service may be compromised; or
- Specialized staff are typically not retained as required and/or many do not possess the required qualifications; or
- Specialized services are infrequently obtained as required by the standards.
MS 2.01
- recruiting mentors, as needed;
- matching mentors with individuals who may need a mentor;
- screening, selecting, training, supporting, and supervising mentors;
- collaborating effectively with mentees, and their parents or legal guardians, as appropriate; and
- understanding the strengths, needs, and characteristics of the target mentor and mentee populations.
MS 2.02
- the qualifications, competencies, and experience of the worker, including the level of supervision needed;
- the work and time required to accomplish assigned tasks and job responsibilities; and
- service volume, accounting for assessed level of needs of mentors and mentees.
Mentoring Services (MS) 3: Intake and Assessment
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- In a few rare instances, urgent needs were not prioritized; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Culturally responsive assessments are the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Urgent needs are often not prioritized; or
- Services are frequently not initiated in a timely manner; or
- Applicants are not receiving referrals, as appropriate; or
- Assessment and reassessment timeframes are often missed; or
- Assessments are sometimes not sufficiently individualized;
- Culturally responsive assessments are not the norm, and this is not being addressed in supervision or training; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent; or
- Intake or assessment is done by another organization or referral source and no documentation and/or summary of required information is present in case record.
- There are no written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
MS 3.01
- how well their request matches the organization’s services; and
- what services will be available and when, including any time limits associated with service provision if applicable.
MS 3.02
- gather information necessary to identify critical service needs and/or determine when a more intensive service is necessary;
- give priority to urgent needs and emergency situations;
- support timely initiation of services; and
- provide for placement on a waiting list or referral to appropriate resources when individuals cannot be served or cannot be served promptly.
MS 3.03
- completed within established timeframes;
- updated as needed based on the needs of the mentee;
- focused on information pertinent for meeting service requests and objectives.
Interpretation: The Assessment Matrix - Private, Public, Canadian determines which level of assessment is required for COA’s Service Sections. The assessment elements of the Matrix can be tailored according to the needs of specific individuals or service design.
Mentoring Services (MS) 4: Mentor Screening and Selection
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
MS 4.01
MS 4.02
- a written application;
- an in-person interview that includes an assessment of the applicant’s personal qualities and motivation for becoming a mentor; and
- reference checks.
MS 4.03
- an assessment of whether the prospective mentor’s personal qualities will facilitate the development of a trust-based relationship centered on the mentee;
- an assessment of whether the prospective mentor has the time and availability needed to establish and maintain a strong mentoring relationship; and
- clear communication of time commitment expectations, including minimum frequency of visits and duration of service.
Examples: Factors that may impact how many relationships an individual mentor should take on include:
- whether the mentor is paid or volunteer:
- whether the mentor is full-time or part-time;
- the number of hours committed by the mentor;
- the program's model and objectives; and
- the service population in question.
Mentoring Services (MS) 5: Mentor Orientation and Training
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
MS 5.01
- the program’s philosophy, including the role of a mentor;
- their responsibilities to the mentee, including any health and safety responsibilities;
- their responsibilities to the mentee’s parent or legal guardian, as appropriate;
- their responsibilities to the organization;
- the responsibilities of the organization to the mentor; and
- realistic expectations for the mentoring relationship.
MS 5.02
- good mentoring practices;
- communication and relationship-building;
- role modeling;
- building trust with mentees and their families;
- establishing appropriate boundaries and setting limits with mentees and their families;
- diversity and cultural awareness; and
- topics relevant to working with the population served, including strengths, needs, and challenges.
- trauma-informed practices,
- nonverbal communication cues,
- the cycles of change model,
- triggers for running away,
- behaviors and symptoms corresponding to the victim’s relationship with their traffickers, including Stockholm Syndrome; and
- situations where a clinician should be contacted.
Mentoring Services (MS) 6: Matching
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
MS 6.01
MS 6.02
MS 6.03
- helps mentees, and their parents or legal guardians, as appropriate, to understand the mentor’s role;
- engages the mentee’s family and coordinating service providers, as appropriate, in setting goals for the relationship; and
- provides mentors with relevant information about their matched mentee.
Mentoring Services (MS) 7: Relationship Development
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VIEW THE STANDARDS
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
MS 7.01
- arranges the initial match meeting; and
- ensures that the frequency of mentoring meetings, and the duration of the mentoring relationship, are sufficient to meet the objectives of the program.
MS 7.02
- develop an effective partnership with the institution in which the program is housed; and
- ensure that the institution’s officials welcome and support mentors and share the program’s understanding of a mentor’s role.
Mentoring Services (MS) 8: Supervising and Monitoring Relationships
- Minor inconsistencies and not yet fully developed practices are noted; however, these do not significantly impact service quality; or
- Procedures need strengthening; or
- With few exceptions, procedures are understood by staff and are being used; or
- For the most part, established timeframes are met; or
- Proper documentation is the norm and any issues with individual staff members are being addressed through performance evaluations and training; or
- Active client participation occurs to a considerable extent.
- Procedures and/or case record documentation need significant strengthening; or
- Procedures are not well-understood or used appropriately; or
- Timeframes are often missed; or
- Several client records are missing important information; or
- Client participation is inconsistent.
- No written procedures, or procedures are clearly inadequate or not being used; or
- Documentation is routinely incomplete and/or missing.
MS 8.01
- all meetings involving the mentor’s supervisor, the mentor, the mentee, and involved parents or legal guardians, as applicable; and
- the date, duration, and activities completed at each mentoring meeting.
MS 8.02
- regular contact with mentors and mentees;
- assistance with practical problems;
- suggestions or directions regarding behavior or future activity; and
- reassurance and recognition of the value of the mentor’s efforts.
MS 8.03
- biweekly, during the first month of mentoring;
- monthly, for the remainder of the first year; and
- quarterly, after the first year.
If the organization has trouble obtaining input from parents or legal guardians, it may also be appropriate to seek input from other involved adults. For example, school-based programs can involve teachers or other school personnel who interact with the mentee. If another organization (such as a juvenile justice agency) retains temporary custody of the mentee it is sufficient to contact and obtain information from that organization.