Welcome to
The Working Alliance
Where mental health care providers learn to protect their practices.
Welcome to The Working Alliance!
Where risk management and exceptional client care are mutually INclusive.
The Working Alliance was created to form a unique risk management resource for mental health practitioners. The Working Alliance empowers providers to protect themselves and at the same time more effectively serve their clients.
There seems to be a pervasive belief that risk management in mental health is all about “CYA.” The Working Alliance, however, takes the stance that risk management is fundamental to high quality client care.
Fran is an attorney and social worker, and Karen is a psychologist and group practice owner. Both are licensed in Washington State. At The Working Alliance, we share our insights for purposes of education, based on our extensive professional experiences gained over more than two decades.
Our primary offering is a consent document package, with versions for both solo and group practices. There are other document packages available for mental health providers, but to our knowledge, The Working Alliance offers the only consent document package co-authored by both an attorney and a psychologist. In addition to this synergy of expertise, The Working Alliance functions as a unique educational resource that addresses the complex needs of providers who work with children, teens, couples, and families.
Join us for the paradigm shift that will revolutionize your practice!
Fran & Karen
Our Products
Consent Forms and Consultation
Solo Practice
One Clinician
Document Package
Group Practice
2-5 Clinicians
Document Package
Group Practice
6-9 Clinicians
Document Package
Group Practice
10+ Clinicians
Document Package
M&M Review / Systems Analysis
A systems analysis in the wake of an adverse event, or, as a way to lower the risk of a future clinical rupture or adverse event.
About The Working Alliance
The Working Alliance is an education resource to assist mental health providers seeking to optimize risk management practices and enhance the effectiveness of their consent documents. Our products and services reflect the unique integration of knowledge by both an attorney and a psychologist.
What’s unique about The Working Alliance?
We view risk management as integral to exceptional clinical care.
It’s easy to assume that risk management just means that you have to “check the boxes” before getting on with the “real work” of clinical care. Clients, understandably, tend to share this misconception and can be eager to sign the consent documents before fully appreciating the contents.
Our stance is that risk management and high quality client care act in the service of each other. Clinical care and risk management are mutually inclusive when approached this way. The Working Alliance documents are designed to enact this synergy. The documents help you to better serve your clients as you simultaneously create a safer professional space.
We offer tailored content.
We make it easier for you to tailor your forms in ways that align with your practice. We offer a Core Disclosure Statement / Informed Consent that consists of basic requirements. In addition, we have modules, or “add-ons,” that allow you to expand and customize your content. Of course, it is important that you always check with your attorney to ensure that you have included all components that are required by your state.
We talk to you.
We go much further than to simply offer templates. For each document, we have included educational discussions that speak to you, the provider. These discussions include the background and rationale for each component, as well as issues for you to consider as you decide whether to include the content or fine tune it to fit your practice.
Integration of legal and mental health expertise.
The Working Alliance is a unique partnership that represents an interdisciplinary approach. We integrate perspectives from the fields of law, social work, and psychology.
We speak to the complexities of working with children and families.
Working with minor clients can be a risk factor for having a complaint filed against a provider. Does this mean that we should steer clear of children and teens? Absolutely not! Rather, it means that provider awareness and mindful risk management practices are all the more important. Both Karen and Fran have extensive backgrounds in working with children, teens, and families. Our documents specifically address the sticky issues that can arise when working with families.
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