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AA.  Teaching-Family Model

Development and Certification

Glossary of Terms

(in alphabetical order)

agency certification:  the end result when an agency successfully demonstrates competency (via the submission of all application materials and a comprehensive on-site review) to provide Teaching-Family Model facilitative administrative, training, consultation, and evaluation services and abide by all the goals, objectives, and Standards of Ethical Conduct of the Association. If an agency provides just three services (administrative and two other services), it earns “certified” status. If an agency provides all services, it earns “certified sponsor agency” status. For more information, see page 9 of the C&E manual.

agency certification with conditions:  a status of certification when an Agency demonstrated overall competency but did not reach criterion (a 3.00 average) in all Teaching-Family Association Standard(s) of Service; in such a case, the agency must develop and follow through on an acceptable action plan that addresses the deficits found in the below-criterion standard(s). The C&E committee determines an appropriate follow-up plan to review the agency’s efforts and progress made in the deficit areas(s).

agency on-site certification review:  the process of ensuring the integrity and quality of the implementation of the Teaching-Family Model, conducted by at least two qualified and trained Teaching-Family Model professionals. A review includes a thorough assessment of the information and documentation submitted in the application and an extensive on-site visit that includes observations of programs, staff and client interviews, and other information gathering functions.

agency-wide consumers: the aggregate group of consumers, other than the client, who benefit from the Teaching-Family Model services of an agency or have a vested interest in the agency (e.g., a provider of resources, accrediting and licensing bodies, an authority over the agency, a paying customer, school personnel, therapists, referral agents, court workers and judges, collateral treatment providers, etc.). Agency-wide consumers are polled as part of the initial and subsequent triennial certification review process.

agency-wide consumer checklist: an organized list that includes the names, titles, and contact information (i.e., mailing addresses, phone numbers, e-mail, etc.) of all agency-wide consumers. This list is used to successfully initiate the consumer satisfaction mail-out and track the returns of surveys. For easy sorting and saving of this information, an excel spreadsheet specifically designed as a consumer checklist is available on the website for an agency’s use. If an agency prefers, they can create their own checklist and set it up in the way that works best for the facilitator of the process.

agency-wide consumer mail-out:  the process of sending surveys to an agency’s consumers for the purpose of gathering feedback regarding satisfaction with the agency’s services.

agency-wide consumer satisfaction surveys:  A survey sent to and completed by consumers/stakeholders who are invested/involved/interacting with/affected by the Teaching-Family Model programs within an agency.  This survey assesses satisfaction with the agency’s provision of services in accordance with TFA standards, i.e. Humane, Family Style, Youth Input, etc, in their Teaching-Family Programs.

agency-wide consumer satisfaction report:  The compilation of all the data from the agency-wide consumer surveys. Information includes the number of surveys sent, the number returned, the averages of each area assessed, as well as all the comments offered. An electronic report form is available on the website to facilitate the completion of the report.

agency description: The Agency Description is a written narrative that typically includes the following information: a brief history or overview of the agency, the mission statement of the agency, the size of the agency and  how the Teaching-Family Model fits into the agency as a whole (e.g. number of  programs, homes, etc. and location; unique geographical, political, legal circumstances; population(s) served; number of clients  served; how funded (percent public/private); which Teaching-Family Association services your agency  provides to your programs; how provision of services is divided among staff (Training Department versus all staff  train, etc.); and other information as deemed necessary.

agency director’s narrative: The agency director’s narrative is a section of the annual site director’s report.  It is a written narrative describing significant agency activities that occurred during the current review year. Program growth, staffing changes, affiliations or disaffiliations, reorganizations, outcomes data, special achievements, special challenges, and significant changes in Administration are topics to be included. Also, reports on Training, Consultation, or Evaluation Services at the agency should be included. In an “Initial” application, the narrative includes a report of significant activities and events that occurred during the developing process. In addition, any information that would be useful in the interpretation of data gathered in the Certification Review process should be included. The length of the agency director’s report can be as brief as a couple pages or can be as extensive as the director chooses.

agency organization chart:  a chart that shows the hierarchy of an agency’s Teaching-Family Model programs and includes everyone who is responsible in any way for providing Teaching-Family Model services.

annual certification paper review:  In the years between triennial reviews (i.e., the full scale review), the agency director submits an annual site director’s report, evidence of dues payment, practitioner satisfaction scores, and a few other specified documents. This report is briefly reviewed by an individual certification committee member who gives a quick overview of the agency’s status to the Certification and Ethics Committee at the annual mid-year meeting. If the documentation is in order and no problems are found, the reviewer fills out a form (provided by the TFA executive director) stating the agency remains in good standing.

annual site director’s report:  In the years between triennial reviews, the agency submits an annual report which includes the following documents:  an Agency Responsibilities Assurances Agreement, the agency director’s narrative, the agency description, and the distribution of scores chart from the practitioner satisfaction report. Also included is a copy of the Reviewers’ Report Summary from the last triennial (or the agency’s initial) certification review. If that report included any recommendations, the annual site director’s report should include a progress report, addressing the status or progress of the follow-through of each recommendation made.

application for agency certification:  the required compilation of documents submitted to the TFA review team for the purposes of an initial or triennial certification review. The application for agency certification is available on the TFA website.

application for agency certification checklist:  The checklist is page 2 of both an initial and triennial application and lists each item of documentation that must be included in the application for agency certification (Initial and Triennial checklists are slightly different from one another.) The agency representative responsible for putting the application together uses the checklist as a resource to ensure all materials are included before it is submitted to the site review team. The checked off checklist remains a part of the application and serves as its table of contents.

certification committee:  the shortened name for the Certification and Ethics (C&E) Committee. This committee is made up a representative from each certified member agency. The C&E committee’s purpose is to recommend to the Board of Directors standards and review processes to assure the completeness, integrity, and fidelity of the implementation of the Teaching-Family Model. C&E members serve as reviewers and oversee all certification activities. The committee passes on their recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Board makes final decisions.

client:  Any person who receives direct services from the agency (i.e., the agency’s primary consumer). The client may be a child, student, family, parent, youth, or any other individuals or groups.

developing agency registration materials: the documentation needed to officially register and be recognized as a Developing Member Agency of the Teaching-Family Association. This preliminary documentation demonstrates an agency’s readiness and commitment to pursue and develop Teaching-Family Model services. The materials include: the Developing Agency’s Responsibilities Assurances Agreement, The Sponsor Member Agency’s Responsibilities Assurances Agreement, dues payment, an Agency Description, the Sponsor Agency Services Delivery Plan, and an organizational chart showing divisions and positions as they relate to the developing Teaching-Family Model programs within the Agency. 

developing agency:  an agency that is beginning their Teaching-Family Model development but has not yet filed its registration with the Teaching-Family Association. A developing agency that has not become a developing member agency is at least two or more years away from providing its own integrated systems.

developing member agency: an agency, school, or institution that has officially registered  with the Teaching-Family Association and is committed to following Teaching-Family Model Standards and the pursuit of Teaching-Family Association certification.

DMA: Some documents may use DMA as an abbreviation for developing member agency.

developing member agency staff evaluation of sponsor site services:  A survey which is completed each year by staff in the Developing Member Agency’s Teaching Family Programs regarding the services that they have received from their Sponsor site in the preceding year.  The survey assesses satisfaction with many areas of services, including training, evaluation, consultation, crisis services, guidance provided to the Developing Agency, etc. 

e.g. & i.e.: Many of the questions on the Reviewers’ Questionnaire/Instrument include parentheses that begin with either e.g. or i.e., and it is important for the reviewer to understand the difference if the question is to be accurately interpreted.  Latin for exempli gratia, e.g. means “for example.” Therefore, when a reviewer sees items preceded by an e.g., those things are examples of what could be present. On the other hand, i.e. is the abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est which means “that is.” Therefore, the phrases followed by an i.e. serve as further clarification for what the reviewer should look for.

elements:  The Teaching-Family Model is defined by four goals, four integrated systems, and six elements which together comprise the TFA Standards of Service. The elements are 1) teaching, 2) self-determination, 3) relationships, 4) family-sensitive approach, 5) diversity, and 6) professionalism. 

family:  A group of individuals that consists of a parent(s), relatives, or significant others, and child(ren) as defined by the client.

family-style/most natural environment:  A relaxed environment where appropriate, close physical proximity occurs between practitioners and clients; practitioners are ultimately responsible and have the autonomy with regard to work with the client both inside and outside the environment; practitioner also has decision-making authority and ownership of the work as it relates to the Teaching-Family Model implementation with clients. Family-style within the confines of residential programs means married couples are encouraged as the primary practitioners. However, staffing patterns and agency staff-to-client ratios may vary depending on the program and its purposes. In any TFM program, ratios and staffing patterns must sufficiently provide the following to each client:  1) a safe environment (i.e., adequate supervision), 2) individual treatment planning, 3) the consistent implementation of individualized treatment, 4) effective teaching, and 5) a family-style/most natural environment —taking into consideration: 1) the age of the clients; 2) the severity/difficulty of the clients’ problems (i.e., medically needy, developmentally delayed, sex offending, etc.); 3) the type of treatment program providing services; and/or 4) the expertise or experience level of the treatment provider. When determining the appropriateness of staff-to-client ratios in any program, all these factors should be considered. In addition, guidelines established by an agency’s state licensing body should be considered. Recommendations can be made if the quality of care is compromised due to staff-to-client ratios or staffing patterns.

goals:   The Teaching-Family Model is defined by four goals, four integrated systems, and seven elements which together comprise the TFA Standards of Service. The four goals are 1) Humane, 2) effective, 3) Individualized, and 4) Consumer Satisfaction.

i.e. & e.g.:  Many of the questions on the Reviewers’ Questionnaire/Instrument include parentheses that begin with either e.g. or i.e., and it is important for the reviewer to understand the difference if the question is to be accurately interpreted.  Latin for exempli gratia, e.g. means “for example.” Therefore, when a reviewer sees items preceded by an e.g., those things are examples of what could be present. On the other hand, i.e. is the abbreviation for the Latin phrase id est which means “that is.” Therefore, the phrases followed by an i.e. serve as further clarification for what the reviewer should look for.

indicator:  Each goal, integrated system, and element of the Standards of Service includes a broad definition listed at the top of the page (see Reviewers’ Instrument/Questionnaire or the Certification Report). The indicators follow specifying the various components of the Standards. Most Standards include at least five indicators.  The reviewers individually assess and score each indicator and then average the scores of all the indicators to determine the overall average score for the standard.

initial:  A term that precedes many other certification activities and indicates that a developing member agency is undergoing its first attempt/application for certification (e.g., initial certification report, initial site review visit, initial consumer satisfaction report, etc.).

initial certification report: a complete and thorough summary of the results of an initial certification review written jointly by the review team. The report includes the review team’s recommendation regarding certification. The primary reviewer is ultimately responsible for the report’s completion, including the delivery to the reviewed agency as well to the Association office.

initial certification report form: the electronic tool designed for the primary reviewer’s use to uniformly document the data and outcome of an agency on-site certification review.

integrated systems:  The Teaching-Family Model is defined by four goals, four integrated systems, and seven elements which together comprise the TFA Standards of Service. The integrated systems are 1) facilitative administration, 2) training, 3) supportive consultation/supervision, and 4) evaluation.

member agency vs. sponsor member agency:  a certified sponsor member agency provides all integrated systems and can serve as a sponsor agency to a developing agency.  A member agency provides administrative services and two of the three other Teaching-Family Model integrated systems and contracts with a sponsor agency for the third.

other programs:  Refers to any treatment service provided by the agency that does not use all  the Teaching-Family Model integrated systems.

practitioner: any person who provides services and treatment directly to the client (e.g., Teaching-Parents/Family Teachers, Family Specialists, Therapeutic Foster Parents, etc.).

practitioner consumer checklist:  an organized list that includes the names, titles, and contact information (i.e., mailing addresses, phone numbers, e-mail, etc.) of all the practitioners of each of agency’s Teaching-Family Model programs.. This list is used to successfully initiate the consumer satisfaction mail-out and track the returns of surveys. For easy sorting and saving of this information, an excel spreadsheet specifically designed as a consumer checklist is available on the website for an agency’s use. If an agency prefers, they can create their own checklist and set it up in the way that works best for the facilitator of the process.

practitioner consumer survey: annually, practitioners are polled asking to rate the agency’s support services. The practitioner consumer surveys are available on the website.

practitioner consumer satisfaction report:  The compilation of all the data from the practitioner satisfaction surveys. Information includes the number of surveys sent, the number returned, the averages of each area assessed, as well as all the comments offered. An electronic report form is available on the website to facilitate the completion of the report.

primary reviewer: The primary reviewer is an experienced, qualified reviewer who leads the review team. S/he is responsible for coordinating and communicating the details of the visit with the agency director and with the other review team members. S/he also takes the lead during the on-site visit. S/he is responsible for delegating assignments amongst review team members and is ultimately responsible for the processing and completion of all paperwork, reports, and forms. The primary reviewer presents a summary of the results of the review at the Certifications and Ethics mid-year meeting, or if unable to attend, designates another review team member to do so.

primary reviewer’s assessment of review team members:  After the completion of an on-site review, the primary reviewer fills out a form rating the skills and abilities of the members of his review team and submits it to the TFA office for the purpose of establishing a record of reliable and effective reviewers.

programs:  Refers to the various divisions within the agency that use the Teaching-Family Model (e.g., Group Homes, Therapeutic Foster Care, School-based, Home-based, etc.) Divisions within the agency that don’t use all the TFM integrated systems are referred to as “Other Programs.”

prompt sheets:  see reviewer’s on-site prompt sheets

readiness assessment: A brief summary written by a key representative of the Sponsor Member Agency verifying the Developing Member Agency has fulfilled its developing member assurances agreement and has made adequate progress in providing services and meeting TFM standards.

recommendation:  TFA’s term for the directive given to correct a below criterion indicator received in an Initial or Triennial Certification Review Report (i.e., recommendations are provided for any indicator that received a sub-criterion score – a rating of 2 or below).  Agencies must demonstrate responsiveness to reviewer recommendations. Recommendations should be clearly stated – but not so specifically to limit or discourage the agency from developing creative, effective approaches and solutions that best fit the needs of the agency’s clients, community, and resources.

reliability:  the extent to which a scoring procedure yields the same results; when reviewers rate each question of the Standards of Service instrument, they must come to a consensus based on the collective data gathered and/or observations made by all review team members. For more information on reliability, refer to the reviewers’ instructions regarding reliability.

review team’s recommendation: after completing all aspects of the review, the review team determines to what degree the agency demonstrated competency in the Teaching-Family Model. If the agency fully demonstrated competency, the recommendation is to certify; if the agency did not fully demonstrate competency, the recommendation may be to certify with conditions. The last alternative is to recommend denying certification. The C&E committee votes to accept the review team’s recommendation, and the TFA Board makes the final decision.

reviewer’s on-site instrument/questionnaire: A comprehensive questionnaire that covers every aspect of each Teaching-Family Model Standard of Service that the reviewers use during their on-site visit. This document is an abbreviated version (i.e., fewer pages) of the “certification report form” which will be used later to compile the report. Members of the review team will need to print out this instrument and keep it with them throughout the on-site review. The “on-site prompt sheets” are designed to be used in combination with the on-site instrument/questionnaire to ensure adequate information and data is gathered to fairly score each question.

reviewer’s on-site prompt sheets:  Worksheets designed to be used in conjunction with the reviewer’s on-site instrument/questionnaire. The worksheets indicate where to find the data to assess adherence to the standards.

reviewers’ report summary:  The summary at the end of an initial or triennial certification report. It includes a summary of the agency’s strengths — not necessarily lengthy but detailed enough to give credit and affirmation to the agency for its strongest assets. The summary also includes any suggestions or recommendations needed to address any deficit areas. (See suggestions and recommendations for more information.)

secondary reviewer:  The secondary reviewer is a qualified reviewer who fully participates in the review process. S/he works in cooperation with the primary reviewer and makes himself/herself fully available and contributes in all aspects of the site review process.

site review: a commonly used term for the agency on-site certification review.

site review questionnaire:  See reviewer’s on-site instrument/questionnaire

site review schedule:  The review team’s schedule of activities which allows time for the review team to complete the necessary tasks involved with the site review. The schedule should specify time allocated for documentation review, staff interviews, practitioner interviews, visits to programs, and any other activities deemed helpful to the agency and to the review process. The schedule should include information such as how long it takes to travel to programs, and how long each visit or activity will last.  This schedule is usually created by the Agency, and approved by the Primary Reviewer prior to the Site Review.

site review team: A review team is a TFA appointed group of approved individuals assigned to a Teaching-Family Model developing or member agency for its Initial or Triennial Site review. A review team is comprised of a primary reviewer, a secondary reviewer, and typically one or two trainees.

site review trainee:  A Teaching-Family Model professional who is training to become a qualified review team member. S/he participates in the review process, taking direction and guidance from the primary and secondary reviewers.

site visit:  a commonly used term used to refer to the on-site certification review visit.

sources for evidence of compliance:  Reports, interviews, forms, or other types of documentation that reviewers rely on to make their assessment of an agency’s adherence to any indicator of any standard. To help aid everyone involved in the review process, a list of sources is provided at the bottom of the page of each Standard of Service. This list is a guide and should not be interpreted as items an agency must have. However, an agency needs to provide whatever sources they have to demonstrate their adherence to any and all indicators.

sponsor member agency vs. member agency:  a certified sponsor member agency provides all integrated systems and can serve as a sponsor agency to a developing agency.  A member agency provides administrative services and two of the three other Teaching-Family Model integrated systems and contracts with a sponsor agency for the third.

staff: Includes any employee hired, contracted or licensed by the agency to provide any of the Teaching-Family Model integrated services (e.g., administrators, consultants, evaluators, trainers, or other positions other than the practitioners that provide TFM-related services).

Standards of Ethical Conduct:  First published in 1979 and prepared by Dr. Curtis J. Braukmann, the first chairperson of the TFA Ethics Committee, the Standards of Ethical Conduct are based upon the informal principles of conduct that emerged from and guided the development of the early Teaching-Family training sites and the review of ethical behavior and guidelines published by various professional organizations. The Standards are divided into six parts: 1) Basic Standards of Professional Conduct, 2) Treatment Standards, 3) Research Standards, 4) Standards Concerning the Training and Evaluation of Treatment Providers, 5) Standards Concerning Informed Consent, and 6) Standards Concerning Confidentiality.

Standards of Service:  Based on many of the Standards of Ethical Conduct, the Standards of Service address Teaching-Family Model’s four defined goals, four integrated systems, and six elements and define the corresponding indicators of compliance for each.

suggestions: TFA’s term used for the reviewers’ feedback in the certification report for any indicators or standards that earned a criterion score but could be enhanced by the reviewers’ feedback (i.e., suggestions).  Suggestions can also apply to non-standard issues or areas that fall outside the purview of TFA standards.

TFA: the abbreviation for Teaching-Family Association

TFM:  the abbreviation for Teaching-Family Model

teaching procedures:  defined steps or methods of teaching behavior; some of TFM’s most common teaching procedures are planned or preventive teaching and effective praise and corrective teaching interactions; these teaching procedures can be adapted (or other innovative teaching strategies can be used) to effectively meet the specific needs of the population served.

tool:  the term sometimes used when referring to the reviewers’ questionnaire/instrument.

trainee:  an additional review team member who is taking part in the review as a means of preparation to become a qualified secondary and then a primary reviewer. Not all site reviews will include trainees, but larger sites usually will have at least one or two trainees assigned to their review. Trainees’ expenses are paid by their own agencies — not the agency under review.

travel itinerary:  Travel itinerary typically refers to the travel arrangements of the review team (i.e., review team’s arrival date and times, rental car or airport pick-up, departure date and time, etc.). The Primary Reviewer and the Agency Director (or Director of Teaching-Family Services) usually coordinate most of the travel itinerary; the primary reviewer should relate relevant information to the other reviewers and coordinate details such as arrival times, departure times, etc.

travel expenses:  The cost of travel for the primary and secondary reviewers is paid by the Agency under review. Travel expenses include transportation, meals, accommodations, and any other necessary expense (e.g., rental car, airport parking fees, etc.). The details of the travel regarding costs, reservations, and other things such as travel advances, reimbursement procedures, etc should be discussed between the primary reviewer and his review team and Agency during the scheduling process. Note: Trainees’ expenses are not paid by the Agency under review but by their own agencies.

triennial:  A term that precedes the certification activities that occur every three years (e.g., triennial certification report, triennial site review, triennial consumer satisfaction report, etc.).

triennial certification report: the review team’s complete and thorough summary of the results of an triennial certification review. The primary reviewer is ultimately responsible for its completion, including the delivery to the reviewed agency as well to the Association office.

triennial certification report form: the electronic tool designed for the primary reviewer’s use to uniformly document the data and outcome of an agency on-site certification review.