Human Services Program Policies

• Enrollment
• Attendance & Participation
• Prepared for Class
• Computer Skills
• ACCUPLACER Math and English Exams
• Cell Phones & Pagers
• Class Behaviors
• Plagiarism
• Special Needs
• Missed or late tests or assignments
• Presentation of Self
• Minimum Grade Requirement
• CCRI Student Policies, Regulations and Conduct
• Field Placement
• Program Admission Requirements
• Prior Learning Assessment
• NOHS Ethical Standards

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CCRI students enrolled in Human Services courses are expected to understand, adhere to and abide by the following:

• Enrollment in a Human Services program represents participation in an academic, degree bearing and professional training program.
• Attendance and participation are critical and will have a direct bearing on the student's grade. Faculty will explain these requirements to students. In general, time missed in excess of 8 hours of class time may result in the student being asked to drop and re-enroll for the course at another time when the benefits of the course can be fully realized and evaluated accordingly. Students are expected to arrive for class on time. Any pattern of lateness is unacceptable. If the student has a set of circumstances that is going to prevent arriving for class on time, or remaining for the entire class, the student needs to discuss this in advance with the professor and work this out before proceeding. The professor may advise the student to enroll in a section that better suits the student's current life demands and/or may discuss the consequences of time missed in the classroom.
• Students are expected to arrive for class prepared to discuss or report on material and assignments from the previous class. Students who miss a class are expected to follow the course assignment schedule and contact a classmate to be up to date for the next class. Should the student need any additional clarification s/he should approach the professor for an appointment after class or during scheduled office hours.
• Students are expected to have basic computer skills that allow them to email professors and attach assignments if required, to use the World Wide Web as an academic resource and to use MyCCRI to obtain grades - mid-semester and final. Students also need to be aware that the online College catalog provides the most recent and accurate information available regarding all of the college course offerings, descriptions, policies and procedures. MyCCRI also offers students the ability to obtain a Degree Audit listing courses completed and courses remaining in their given program of study. If a student does not have a computer or the necessary skills to perform these tasks, the professor can assist the student in making arrangements for access and assistance through the computer labs on each campus.
• Students who have not taken the ACCUPLACER Math and English placement exams must do so prior to completing their first semester or 12 credits at CCRI or upon registration for HMNS 1010. Arrangements can be made by calling the Advising & Counseling Department: Warwick Campus - 825-2301, Lincoln Campus - 333-7159, Providence Campus - 455-6063.
• All cell phones and pagers must be placed in the silent mode during class time. If there is a family circumstance that requires the student to be on call during class time the instructor must be informed that the student may be unexpectedly called out of class.
• While participation is encouraged and essential, students must adhere to the professor's guidelines regarding how this shall occur. Monopolizing will be addressed as unacceptable as will any behaviors that are sarcastic, judgmental, confrontational or in any way demeaning to individuals or to the learning process. The following behaviors may justify dismissal from class: plagiarism, sleeping in class, interrupting while others are speaking, any physical displays of anger, profanities or threats of violence.
• Plagiarism is the act of using the work, words or thoughts of another and presenting them as one's own. This includes material taken from the textbook, another author, an on-line resource or a classmate that you might use in the completion of an assignment. The student must reference all such material and be mindful that the consequences for plagiarism are serious and may result in dismissal from the class and from the college. Students are advised to consult the College's Student Handbook policies regarding academic integrity and misconduct as human service faculty strictly adhere to these policies.
• Students with special needs should make arrangements for special accommodations through the Access Office and should approach the professor during the first week of class.
• Missed tests, quizzes, oral and written exams and late assignments will carry a penalty. Consult the professor regarding specifics as they may vary. Some professors have specific days set aside for make up tests; others have requirements that must be met in order to be granted a makeup. Professors are not under any obligation to provide these options. Please treat them as a privilege.
• Presentation of Self: Students need to understand that assessments will be made on a regular basis using criteria other than scores attained on academic assignments. Because students are enrolled in a professional preparation program, the classroom experiences are intended in part to reflect standards and expectations that would be typical of a professional workplace: hats and baseball caps, CD earphones and the like should be removed. Clothing attire, particularly that worn to your field placement should be neat, clean, modest, comfortable; and appropriate and non-distracting in a workplace environment. The professor may provide the student with feedback on this matter and, if so, this should be received as constructive. Proper use of the English language is important, avoiding slang and eliminating the use of profanity are the minimum standard; seeking advice and constructively using feedback from your professor as to how to improve and expand the student's language arts skills is strongly encouraged and is viewed with respect for the student's desire to excel.
• Any student who is not performing at a grade level of "C" or better is responsible for approaching the professor for guidance as to how improvement might be accomplished. If the student is performing at a grade level below "C" at mid semester, the student must meet with the professor to determine and contract for an appropriate course of action. This may include a referral to one of the developmental resources in the College, specific instructions as to how better to approach the requirements for a particular course or counseling regarding a withdrawal from the course and a recommendation to re-enroll at a later date.
• In order to graduate, a student must achieve a minimum grade of "C" in each HMNS course. The College requires a cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.0 in order to graduate.
• All students are referred to the CCRI Website to review the CCRI Student Handbook and the Student Policies and Regulations for a full understanding of the disciplinary codes applicable to violations of Rules and Regulations for Student Conduct.
• Students are expected to successfully complete all three required Field Placements. None of these Field Placements will be substituted, challenged, or waived by the Department except in rare cases, which must be presented to the Department Chair who will base his/her judgment on the extreme and unavoidable circumstances of the case. The instructor recommending such an exception will advise the Chair regarding the special circumstances.
• Generally, students are encouraged to register for each Field Placement during separate and consecutive semesters. With permission of the Instructor, some students may be allowed to take Fields 2 and 3 in the same semester if they have achieved a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.5 and are graduating the semester s/he is registering for Field.
• Students are encouraged by their Faculty Advisor to take courses based on the course sequences in the College catalog.
• Generally, a student's Field/Practicum Instructor is responsible for providing academic advice to his/her students, as well as recommending course substitutions to the Chair.
• The selection of Field Placements for students is the prerogative of the Faculty Field Supervisor, and is based on the opportunity for the student to receive a professional learning experience.
• The following courses are required prior to taking Field 1/Practicum I:
  For Social Services: HMNS 1010, 2200
  For Early Childhood: HMNS 1010, 2100
  For Education/Special Education: HMNS 1010, 2060 or 2070
• Students who register for any and all Field placements must obtain a criminal background check from the Attorney General's Office, some local police departments may provide this service but you are encouraged to call ahead. The results of the students' BCI will determine students' eligibility to register and participate in field placement and seminar courses. Students who are unable to fulfill the three field placement and seminar requirements will not be able to graduate from the Program.
• In order to gain admission to any Human Services Program, students must have graduated from an accredited High School, or achieved passing GED score. ACCUPLACER scores will determine the level of remedial coursework (if any) that the student must complete prior to matriculation into the HMNS Program.
• The HMNS Faculty are responsible for the maintenance of a high quality Human Services Program, and therefore, may determine that a student is not adequately prepared academically or socially to proceed toward completion of the Program. Should this occur, the student will be notified by the Faculty and/or Department Chair. These students will be prohibited from registering from any additional Human Services courses until the Faculty and Chair concur that the student's conditions have changed sufficiently to allow Program completion. Faculty may base this judgment on academic achievement, literacy, social skill deficits, poor personal presentation, or psychological problems reported by the student.
• Students seeking credit for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) must first consult with their Departmental Advisor (either their Field instructor or absent that, any other full-time faculty member). The list of pre- and co-requisites attached to these Policies will describe those courses that may NOT be waived or substituted. The portfolio prepared in application for PLA credit must appear in the format described herein. Credit awards are recommended by the reviewing faculty, approved by the Chair, and are not subject to appeal by the student.
• Students who document legitimate learning outside the normal college courses may be instructed to prepare a portfolio documenting such learning. The Department may grant up to a maximum of six (6) elective credits for this learning. Documented credit will generally be assigned to General Education and Elective requirements, and only under rare cases to Human Services course requirements.
• These are some of the most basic standards and expectations agreed upon by all full and part time faculty employed by the CCRI Human Services Program. Each professor may have additional guidelines detailed in their syllabus.
• Faculty are encouraged to invite "outside experts" to share their perspectives and knowledge with students. It is the responsibility of faculty to insure the competence and professionalism of the guest lecturer.
• Students are expected to learn and conform to the NOHS Ethical Standards as follows:

Ethical Standards of Human Service Professionals: National Organization for Human Services

Preamble

• Human services is a profession developing in response to and in anticipation of the direction of human needs and human problems in the late twentieth century. Characterized particularly by an appreciation of human beings in all of their diversity, human services offers assistance to its clients within the context of their community and environment. Human service professionals and those who educate them, regardless of whether they are students, faculty or practitioners, promote and encourage the unique values and characteristics of human services. In so doing human service professionals and educators uphold the integrity and ethics of the profession, partake in constructive criticism of the profession, promote client and community well-being, and enhance their own professional growth.
• The ethical guidelines presented are a set of standards of conduct which the human service professionals and educators consider in ethical and professional decision making. It is hoped that these guidelines will be of assistance when human service professionals and educators are challenged by difficult ethical dilemmas. Although ethical codes are not legal documents, they may be used to assist in the adjudication of issues related to ethical human service behavior.

Ethical Standards for Human Service Professionals

• Human service professionals function in many ways and carry out many roles. They enter into professional-client relationships with individuals, families, groups and communities who are all referred to as "clients" in these standards. Among their roles are caregiver, case manager, broker, teacher/educator, behavior changer, consultant, outreach professional, mobilizer, advocate, community planner, community change organizer, evaluator and administrator. The following standards are written with these multifaceted roles in mind.

The Human Services Professional's Responsibility to Clients

STATEMENT 1: Human service professionals negotiate with clients the purpose, goals, and nature of the helping relationship prior to its onset as well as inform clients of the limitations of the proposed relationship.

STATEMENT 2: Human service professionals respect the integrity and welfare of the client at all times. Each client is treated with respect, acceptance and dignity.

STATEMENT 3: Human service professionals protect the client's right to privacy and confidentiality except when such confidentiality would cause harm to the client or others, when agency guidelines state otherwise, or under other stated conditions (e.g., local, state, or federal laws). Professionals inform clients of the limits of confidentiality prior to the onset of the helping relationship.

STATEMENT 4: If it is suspected that danger or harm may occur to the client or to others as a result of a client's behavior, the human service professional acts in an appropriate and professional manner to protect the safety of those individuals. This may involve seeking consultation, supervision, and/or breaking the confidentiality of the relationship.

STATEMENT 5: Human service professionals protect the integrity, safety, and security of client records. All written client information that is shared with other professionals, except in the course of professional supervision, must have the client's prior written consent.

STATEMENT 6: Human service professionals are aware that in their relationships with clients power and status are unequal. Therefore they recognize that dual or multiple relationships may increase the risk of harm to, or exploitation of, clients, and may impair their professional judgment. However, in some communities and situations it may not be feasible to avoid social or other nonprofessional contact with clients. Human service professionals support the trust implicit in the helping relationship by avoiding dual relationships that may impair professional judgment, increase the risk of harm to clients or lead to exploitation.

STATEMENT 7: Sexual relationships with current clients are not considered to be in the best interest of the client and are prohibited. Sexual relationships with previous clients are considered dual relationships and are addressed in STATEMENT 6 (above).

STATEMENT 8: The client's right to self-determination is protected by human service professionals. They recognize the client's right to receive or refuse services.

STATEMENT 9: Human service professionals recognize and build on client strengths.

The Human Service Professional's Responsibility to the Community and Society

STATEMENT 10: Human service professionals are aware of local, state, and federal laws. They advocate for change in regulations and statutes when such legislation conflicts with ethical guidelines and/or client rights. Where laws are harmful to individuals, groups or communities, human service professionals consider the conflict between the values of obeying the law and the values of serving people and may decide to initiate social action.

STATEMENT 11: Human service professionals keep informed about current social issues as they affect the client and the community. They share that information with clients, groups and community as part of their work.

STATEMENT 12: Human service professionals understand the complex interaction between individuals, their families, the communities in which they live, and society.

STATEMENT 13: Human service professionals act as advocates in addressing unmet client and community needs. Human service professionals provide a mechanism for identifying unmet client needs, calling attention to these needs, and assisting in planning and mobilizing to advocate for those needs at the local community level.

STATEMENT 14: Human service professionals represent their qualifications to the public accurately.

STATEMENT 15: Human service professionals describe the effectiveness of programs, treatments, and/or techniques accurately.

STATEMENT 16: Human service professionals advocate for the rights of all members of society, particularly those who are members of minorities and groups at which discriminatory practices have historically been directed.

STATEMENT 17: Human service professionals provide services without discrimination or preference based on age, ethnicity, culture, race, disability, gender, religion, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.

STATEMENT 18: Human service professionals are knowledgeable about the cultures and communities within which they practice. They are aware of multiculturalism in society and its impact on the community as well as individuals within the community. They respect individuals and groups, their cultures and beliefs.

STATEMENT 19: Human service professionals are aware of their own cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and values, recognizing the potential for impact on their relationships with others.

STATEMENT 20: Human service professionals are aware of sociopolitical issues that differentially affect clients from diverse backgrounds.

STATEMENT 21: Human service professionals seek the training, experience, education and supervision necessary to ensure their effectiveness in working with culturally diverse client populations.

The Human Service Professional's Responsibility to Colleagues

STATEMENT 22: Human service professionals avoid duplicating another professional's helping relationship with a client. They consult with other professionals who are assisting the client in a different type of relationship when it is in the best interest of the client to do so.

STATEMENT 23: When a human service professional has a conflict with a colleague, he or she first seeks out the colleague in an attempt to manage the problem. If necessary, the professional then seeks the assistance of supervisors, consultants or other professionals in efforts to manage the problem.

STATEMENT 24: Human service professionals respond appropriately to unethical behavior of colleagues. Usually this means initially talking directly with the colleague and, if no resolution is forthcoming, reporting the colleague's behavior to supervisory or administrative staff and/or to the Professional organization(s) to which the colleague belongs.

STATEMENT 25: All consultations between human service professionals are kept confidential unless to do so would result in harm to clients or communities, or be in violation of the law.

The Human Service Professional's Responsibility to the Profession

STATEMENT 26: Human service professionals know the limit and scope of their professional knowledge and offer services only within their knowledge and skill base.

STATEMENT 27: Human service professionals seek appropriate consultation and supervision to assist in decision-making when there are legal, ethical or other dilemmas.

STATEMENT 28: Human service professionals act with integrity, honesty, genuineness, and objectivity.

STATEMENT 29: Human service professionals promote cooperation among related disciplines (e.g., psychology, counseling, social work, nursing, family and consumer sciences, medicine, education) to foster professional growth and interests within the various fields.

STATEMENT 30: Human service professionals promote the continuing development of their profession. They encourage membership in professional associations, support research endeavors, foster educational advancement, advocate for appropriate legislative actions, and participate in other related professional activities.

STATEMENT 31: Human service professionals continually seek out new and effective approaches to enhance their professional abilities.

The Human Service Professional's Responsibility to Employers

STATEMENT 32: Human service professionals adhere to commitments made to their employers.

STATEMENT 33: Human service professionals participate in efforts to establish and maintain employment conditions which are conducive to high quality client services. They assist in evaluating the effectiveness of the agency through reliable and valid assessment measures.

STATEMENT 34: When a conflict arises between fulfilling the responsibility to the employer and the responsibility to the client, human service professionals advise both of the conflict and work conjointly with all involved to manage the conflict.

The Human Service Professional's Responsibility to Self

STATEMENT 35: Human service professionals strive to personify those characteristics typically associated with the profession (e.g., accountability, respect for others, genuineness, empathy, pragmatism).

STATEMENT 36: Human service professionals foster self-awareness and personal growth in themselves. They recognize that when professionals are aware of their own values, attitudes, cultural background, and personal needs, the process of helping others is less likely to be negatively impacted by those factors.

STATEMENT 37: Human service professionals recognize a commitment to lifelong learning and continually upgrade knowledge and skills to serve the populations better.