Hsm 230 Speech to Congress

Esteemed ladies and gentlemen of congress, we come before you today to discuss regulations in the health care and human services industry.

Why do military personnel have to follow a chain of command? Because when they do not they run the risk of placing other members of their troop in danger. Why must a police officer obey the chain of evidence when working a crime scene? Because if they do not then a criminal may go free instead of being brought to justice. In books and movies we enjoy stories of the rogue cop or military hero that answers only to his gut and his personal moral compass. These stories are exciting and action packed, yet in the real world our “hero’s” actions will more often than not lead to disaster.

This is true in the health care and human service fields as well; these fields are about trustworthy and reliable service to their clients/patients. For this to happen, health care professionals and human service workers must be trained to provide adequate and satisfactory service, yet they must also be held accountable to the highest standards available. Members of these fields encounter many challenges, both professionally and ethically. It is essential that necessary guidelines be developed, put in place, and implemented properly in order to guarantee consistency in the quality of service they provide. All personnel in these fields must be properly educated and trained to implement these guidelines effectively. A system of accountability is essential to monitor their implementation and to serve as the basis for recommending further guideline revisions and/or further professional development as warranted.

Once proper training is facilitated, and guidelines streamlined to maximize their quality and usefulness, implementation of the guidelines and adherence to existing standards become part of the natural culture (the norm) of the health care and human service organization. Essentially, these guidelines become part of the function of the...