DRAFT Performance Work Statement - Police Psychological Assessment.pdf

PEFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT FOR

THE VETERANS AFFAIRS POLICE EMPLOYEES

The Veterans Affairs Police, San Francisco VA Health Care System (SF VAHCS) is seeking the services of a psychological evaluation examiner (contractor) to conduct psychological evaluations

(screening and testing) of onboarding VA Police Candidates (initial assessments) and of incumbent VA Police Officers (annual assessments) in the SF VAHCS Police Service.

The contractor’s minimum qualifications and capabilities must include:

• being a California licensed psychologist or psychiatrist with education, training, and experience in the diagnostic evaluation of mental and emotional disorders

• having training and experience in the evaluation of law enforcement personnel

• being familiar with the police, firefighter, and Public Safety Dispatcher psychology literature and the essential job functions of each

• being familiar with relevant state and federal statutes, California Peace Officer Standards and Training requirements (CA POST), and case law, as well as other legal requirements related to employment and personnel practices (e.g., disability, privacy, third-party liability)

• being able to adapt relevant Veterans Affairs police psychological standards as they apply to VA police incumbent officers and potential candidates for VA Police officers.

Psychologists and psychiatrists must adhere to ethical principles and standards for practice established by the American Psychological and Psychiatric Associations.

I. PURPOSE

The contractor will, upon request by the Chief of Police Service, or designee, provide psychological evaluations for annual assessments for duty determinations of current VA Police

Officer employees’ ability to perform essential job duties. In addition, the contractor will, upon request by the Chief of Police Service, or designee, provide initial psychological evaluations for duty determinations of potential VA Police Officer candidates’ ability to perform essential job duties. The contractor will also provide training for employees and management regarding mental health/psychological issues as well as consultations with management on applicable mental health topics.

II. BACKGROUND

The VA Police Service is a Federal Agency within the Department of Veterans Affairs, Police

Service, Office of Security and Law Enforcement. The VA Police’s primary function is to provide a safe and secure environment at VA medical centers, and community based outpatient clinics and area National Cemeteries.

The Police Service employs a workforce of 74 (current FTE) employees who are directly involved in protecting the safety and security of the patients, employees, visitors, buildings, equipment, and VA property under their control.

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES

All services under this contract shall be in accordance with applicable Federal, State and local laws governing the practice of medicine and psychological services in the State of California.

Prior to the administration of any psychological instruments and interviews, the contractor will ask the employee to sign an informed consent to the conditions of the evaluation. The informed consent shall clearly state that the Authority is the client. The psychological evaluation’s testing battery will include objective, job-related and validated psychological instruments, meeting the

VA police officer psychological standards set forth by DVA/OS&LE. The individual interview will be face-to-face, semi-structured, job-related and be done to allow for sufficient time to cover appropriate background and test results verification.

The Contractor may be requested to provide training modules on mental health/ psychological issues for Public Safety employees as well as consultations with Police Service management and

VA Occupational Health personnel on related mental health topics or court appearances related to an assessment/evaluation on an as needed basis both onsite or offsite as arranged by the Police

Service or mandated by court appearances relating to an assessment/evaluation.

A. EMPLOYEE ASSESSMENT

The Contractor shall provide Public Safety Employee Assessment/psychological evaluation appointments within three (3) workdays after a Police Service request at the Contractor’s facility which shall consist of the following:

1. Psychological Testing such as Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2™ (MMPI-

2)

2. Clinical Interview

3. Review of Candidate’s History.

B. EMPLOYEE ASSESSMENT REPORT

The Contractor shall prepare an assessment report format and utilize it when assessing an employee’s ability to perform the essential functions of his/her job when requested by the Police

Service. These evaluations shall include a clinical interview, review of relevant department reports, and direct consultation with the supervisor who requested the evaluation, psychological testing as appropriate and a psychological evaluation. Findings shall be reported report on a graded scale. Pass/Fail grading shall not be used. The detailed report will be provided to the

Chief, Occupational Health Service. To protect the candidates’ privacy, a Pass/Fail grading may be used in a letter to the Chief, Police Service. The assessment reports provide to employee health, and the assessment letter furnished to the Chief of Police will include the following statements for successful employees:

"The interview reveals no evidence of any emotional or mental condition which could cause the employee to be a hazard to self or others during stressful situations and physical altercations in the course of his/her duties as a VA Police Officer, which includes the carrying of a firearm.”

C. PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING/ANNUAL EMPLOYEE ASSESSMENT/FIT FOR

DUTY REPORTS

1. The Contractor shall submit the proposed format of the annual employee assessment, to the Chief, Occupational Health through the CO’s Technical Point of Contact (TPC) before the Initial Project Orientation meeting. Assessments shall not be conducted until the assessment report format has been approved by the Authority.

2. The Contractor will provide verbal assessments of all employee psychological evaluations no more than two (2) workdays after the evaluation. The Contractor shall send the written employee assessment reports to the Chief, Occupational Health, SF

VAHCS, no more than ten (10) workdays after the examination. The reports shall be furnished in a sealed envelope marked “confidential” and shall be mailed to:

Department of Veterans Affairs

San Francisco VA Health Care System

Occupational Health Service

Attn: Dr. Paul Blanc

4150 Clement Street

San Francisco, CA 94121

F. MEDICAL RECORDS

The testing materials and evaluation results of all employee assessments shall be securely stored, kept confidential and only released pursuant to applicable Federal and State laws and regulations.

Upon written request and signed release, one (1) additional copy of employee assessment must be made available at no additional cost to the employee. The Police Service or Occupational Health may also request additional copies of the assessment at no additional cost.

Records generated as a result of an employer-sponsored psychological evaluation program are the property of the Veterans Affairs. At the end of this contract term, all records shall be transferred to the Contractor who will have the follow-on contract, if it is different than the incumbent

Contractor, at the Chief of Police’s request without additional cost to the VA. Transfer to be fully accomplished within thirty (30) days of notification.

G. MANAGEMENT CONSULTATIONS

The Contractor may be requested to provide consultations with VA Police Service management on related mental health topics or court appearances related to an assessment or evaluation.

H. CONTRACT STARTUP PROCEDURES

Prior to commencement of work, the Contractor shall meet in conference with the CO and the

CO's Technical Point of Contact (TPC) to discuss and develop mutual understandings related to scheduling, administration of work, and milestones will be established.

I. SCHEDULING EXAMINATIONS

1. The CO will provide the Contractor with a statement identifying SF VAHCS Police

Service personnel authorized to schedule appointments. Each participant will be given directions and appropriate forms to take the evaluation.

2. For other assessments, such as job-related psychological evaluations and management of other special consultants, the Police Service will schedule with the Contractor’s representative on a mutually satisfactory basis, usually within three (3) workdays.

3. If cancellation of the test is necessary, the Police Service will give notice as soon as possible.

4. If the employee fails to keep his/her appointment, the Contractor will notify the Police

Service within twenty-four (24) hours of the missed appointment.

5. The Contractor will maintain a confidential file on all individuals who are evaluated.

6. As described in this SOW, the Contractor shall send the VA Occupational Health the required assessment reports within the specified time frame.

J. PERFORMANCE

The CO, in consultation with the CO’s Technical Point of Contact (TPC) and Police Service management representatives, shall consider the quality of the work being performed on a regular basis and advise the Contractor in writing of any discrepancies or modifications required to any report format, testing, interview, evaluation or assessment format.

The Contractor shall notify the CO in writing within ten (10) days of any changes in personnel or any change in credentials or duties performed by personnel involved in the assessment testing and reporting aspects of this contract. This notification of changes in personnel or any change in credentials or duties performed by personnel involved in assessment testing and reporting aspects of this contract MUST INCLUDE resumes containing the name, title, education, and experience for new person assigned, copies of all licenses, certifications and a brief description of their duties to be performed under this contract.