4.D.1
The supervision plan: a written agreement for the work ahead
Énoncé de compétence 4.D.1 d’ASPPB : Provide and implement a supervision plan that details the supervisory relationship and the policies and procedures of supervision (e.g., managing high-risk situations, record keeping, areas of competence)
A supervision plan, best written and agreed at the outset, sets out how supervision will work: goals and competencies, methods and schedule, how and when the supervisee will be evaluated, what to do in high-risk situations, how records are kept and who is responsible for what. It protects clients, makes expectations fair and is revised when the work changes.
Notions clés
- Goals and methods
- The plan names the competencies to develop, the supervisee's caseload and services, and how the supervisor will see the work, such as recordings or live observation, at a stated frequency.
- Evaluation and due process
- APA Standard 7.06 requires a timely and specific process for feedback, described at the beginning of supervision, with evaluation based on actual performance. The plan says when ratings occur, who receives them and what happens if concerns arise.
- High-risk situations
- The plan states when the supervisee must contact the supervisor at once, who covers when the supervisor is unavailable and what must be documented, for risks such as suicide, violence or suspected abuse.
- Records and responsibility
- The plan sets how supervision is documented, who signs or reviews client records and which supervisor holds responsibility for which cases, since the supervisor remains responsible for clients served through supervisees.
- A written agreement
- A written agreement gives clarity, a reference both can return to and an early collaborative tone; it is especially useful for novice supervisees and is updated as roles and caseloads change.
Exemple commenté
A psychologist will supervise a postdoctoral resident in a rural primary care clinic but is on site only two days a week. On other days, supervision will be by video, and the resident will often see patients alone right after physician visits.
- Write down the supervisor's availability on non-site days and name a backup licensed professional the resident can reach when the supervisor cannot be reached.
- Set a high-risk protocol for primary care: what to do when a patient discloses suicidal thoughts during a visit, whom to call and what to document in the medical record.
- Agree on records: how the resident's notes are reviewed and signed, and how video supervision is held on a secure platform in a private space.
- List the evaluation schedule and competencies, and set a date to revise the plan after the first month.
Put availability, risk procedures, records and evaluation in writing before the supervisee starts, and revise the plan as the work changes.
Vérifiez vos acquis
A supervisor and a new supervisee agreed on their supervision arrangements in conversation but wrote nothing down. What is the main advantage of putting the agreement in writing?
Sources
- APA (2002, with the 2010 and 2016 amendments), Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, Standard 7.06(a) and (b), Assessing Student and Supervisee Performance; Standard 2.05, Delegation of Work to Others; Standard 6.01, Documentation of Professional and Scientific Work and Maintenance of Records
- American Psychological Association (2015), Guidelines for clinical supervision in health service psychology, American Psychologist, 70(1), 33-46 (PMID 25581007), revised in 2025 into six domains, Supervisory relationship and ethical, legal and regulatory considerations (supervision contract, documentation)
- Grus, Falender, Goodyear, Tao and Jordan (2026), The revised American Psychological Association guidelines for clinical supervision: Rationale, revisions, and implications for practice and scholarship, Psychotherapy, advance online publication (PMID 42821409), Abstract: 2025 Domain C, Supervisory Relationship, and Domain F, Ethical, Legal, and Regulatory Considerations
- Watkins, Cădariu, Vîşcu and Viliūnienė (2024), Psychotherapy supervision: An invitational, clarifying, educational, empowering, and transparent (ICEE-T) written agreement, American Journal of Psychotherapy, 77(4), 195-199 (PMID 39210699), Abstract: the case for a written agreement at the outset, for clarity, reference and collaboration, especially with novice supervisees
- Falender and Shafranske (2004), Clinical Supervision: A Competency-Based Approach, The supervision agreement and its contents