Standards that reflect the growth of a professional discipline into a community of integrated healthcare

Professional standards are created to guide professional practice, enhance quality of care, improve outcomes, and successfully fulfill regulatory and accrediting criteria. The bridge between medicine and mental health has been clearly constructed. The road to follow forward, now a superhighway, has been joined by an interdisciplinary professional team that is inclusive towards the goal of holistic rehabilitation healthcare. However, inherent in such a journey together is the resilience required to work through the detours, the traffic jams and breakdowns. Yes, there is also the need to appreciate the enjoyable times of connecting, learning, sharing, and having fun as we grow. The article “Professional standards of practice for psychologists, social workers, and counselors in SCI rehabilitation” represents the efforts of many individuals over decades of dedicated work.¹ Some individuals are identified by name, as well as many others who participated in conducting high quality care and sharing insights that brought awareness to the community of consumers, professionals and interested parties.

An identified need and a direction was established in 1990. The original need was for professional standards for psychologists and social workers, who work with individuals with spinal cord injury/disorder. Standards were missing that would provide consistent high quality healthcare for individuals receiving services. Furthermore, identification of educational training and professional qualifications for those providing healthcare were not clearly articulated. There was a disparity in organizational guidelines to optimize a supportive work environment that would promote effectiveness, efficiency, respect for diversity and individuality, and inclusive of all people and healthcare needs.

This direction developed over the next 26 years, a mere quarter of a century. 2016 formally recognized the inclusion of counselors, highlighted by the section name change from PSW (Psychologists and Social Workers) to PSWC (Psychologists, Social Workers and Counselors). In addition, two new addendums embrace the specialty areas of pediatrics and geriatrics.

Today, we have the benefit of a document that not only speaks to the original identified need but establishes an open dynamic organizational system of inclusion of people, professions, specialties and ideas for improvement and change. Most importantly, we have a professional future with continued legitimacy, relevance and resilience.

The hard work that is needed to improve a professional discipline, to advocate for the individual, and to work together towards fair consensus is not an easy task. As recent Past Vice President and member of ASCIP for over twenty years, I have the privileged to be a part of this work over the years and to get to know the strong professional character of both individual and organization.

Kudos to the authors (Russell, Richardson, Bombardier, Dixon, Huston, Rose, Sheaffer, Smith, and Ullrich) for the completion and realization of this landmark professional article. Thank you!