Decision Making at The Counseling Center
Participatory Decision Making (PDM) describes SCCCC's decision-making process. PDM is used to achieve quality decisions and encourage staff commitment and development. We believe decisions are of better quality when they include the diversity of opinions this process draws out. PDM is characterized by:
- Requesting staff input on decisions that impact their work lives;
- Balancing staff participation in decision-making with the need to make timely decisions;
- Working toward group agreement;
- A commitment to live with and support the decisions reached.
PDM refers to both policy and operational decision-making. Policy decision-making bodies consist of the Personnel Committee, Leadership Council and the Board of Trustees.
The Personnel Committee consists of staff elected from each of the four service components and the administrative unit. Each component has one vote.
The Leadership Council includes the director from each of the four service components, plus the Executive Director.
The Board of Trustees consists of up to fifteen members from the community who have demonstrated their interest in the goals and purposes of the agency. Up to two staff members also serve on the board in an advisory capacity.
Operational decisions are made at all levels of the Agency through a variety of organizational units: all-staff meetings, committees, and program teams. Each component has its own written participatory decision-making rules to describe how operational decisions are made. These decision-making guides conform to agency-wide standards.