Evaluations

A pre-employment psychological evaluation (PPE) is an examination conducted to assess psychological suitability for an applied to position. The majority of PPE’s conducted in Dr. Roland’s office are for peace officers who are mandated to undergo such evaluations in the State of California according to Government Code 1031 and in compliance with California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission Regulation 1955. The focus of the PPE is to: (1) screen-out candidates who may have mental or emotional disorders and/or job-relevant psychopathology which threaten psychological stability, as well as (2) assess normal-range personality traits and characteristics or psychological suitability. Resources available regarding PPE’s for peace officers can be found in the CA POST Peace Officer Psychological Screening Manual (https://post.ca.gov/peace-officer-psychological-screening-manual) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Psychological Services Section’s Guidelines on PPE’s (http://www.theiacp.org/portals/0/documents/pdfs/Psych-PreemploymentPsychEval.pdf). Evaluations for positions such as Public Safety Dispatchers, Fire Personnel, and other non-sworn public safety positions (i.e., Executive Assistants, Community Service Officers, Animal Control Officers, Information Technology personnel, etc.) are also conducted. The process for these positions follows the best practices model suggested in the Police Psychological Services Section’s Guidelines on PPE’s. Dr. Roland has conducted over 4000 of these evaluations for over 60 public service agencies. She is compliant with POST’s continuing education requirements, exceeding the requirement of obtaining 12 hours of relevant education or training every two years. Please visit the CA POST Peace Officer Psychological Evaluators list at https://www.post.ca.gov/psychological-evaluators-list.aspx for questions or inquiries regarding this matter. Most PPE’s are post-offer evaluations; however a pre-offer process is also available. In this case ONLY non-medical information, consistent with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA and ADAAA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) is collected. A risk assessment report is provided to the hiring authority considering the non-medical data obtained. Thereafter the employer can make a decision to either move forward with the hiring process or consider other applicants. With a bona fide conditional offer of employment the applicant continues with the process wherein relevant medical information is collected and a final suitability opinion is offered.

“A psychological fitness-for-duty evaluation (FFDE) is a formal, specialized examination of an incumbent employee that results from: (1) objective evidence that the employee may be unable to safely or effectively perform a defined job and (2) a reasonable basis for believing that the cause may be attributable to a psychological condition or impairment. The central purpose of an FFDE is to determine whether the employee is able to safely and effectively perform his or her essential job functions.” “Referring an employee for an FFDE is indicated whenever there is an objective and reasonable basis for believing that the employee may be unable to safely and/or effectively perform his or her duties due to a psychological condition or impairment. An objective basis is one that is not merely speculative but derives from direct observation, credible third-party report, or other reliable evidence. ” The above quotes come directly from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Psychological Services Section’s Guidelines for FFDE’s which can be found at www.theiacp.org. Dr. Roland follows these Guidelines as a best practice approach. The first step in a FFDE always relies on consultation with the employer to assess whether or not the referral is meritorious, what other potential options may be available to meet employer/employee needs, ensuring there are no conflicts of interest, and that the FFDE can be conducted impartially, objectively and lawfully. If you have questions about an employee’s behavior or functionality, please call the office for an initial consultation.

When an employer has questions or concerns regarding the behavior of an individual and its potential impact on the workplace, it’s prudent to seek consultation and consider options. Workplace violence, threats made by employees as well as threats against employees should be taken seriously and investigated in a timely manner. While there can be a nexus between fitness-for-duty evaluations and threat assessments, this is not always the case. An organized approach utilizing psychological tools and methods may help organizations mitigate, reduce and/or negate the risk associated with these cases. Please call for a consultation if you have questions about threats, behaviors or actions in the workplace that raise concerns about the safety of your employees or customers.