Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Clinical competence
35% weight
Check licensure (LCSW, LPC, LMFT, PsyD) plus PSYPACT or multi-state compacts, caseload size, and named modalities: CBT, DBT skills, EMDR, ACT, motivational interviewing.
Evidence to listen for
Command of the procedures, anatomy, and equipment the role requires
Holds current registration or certification
Knows normal from abnormal and what to do about each
Recognises when a case is outside their scope
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Unsafe knowledge gaps; registration missing or lapsed.
2
Needs Improvement
Knowledge gaps that would affect patient care.
3
Satisfactory
Competent for standard cases; needs support on complex ones.
4
Very Good
Strong clinical knowledge; safe and reliable across the usual range.
5
Excellent
Holds active independent licence in multiple states, names modalities used per diagnosis, and cites supervised hours and outcome measures like PHQ-9 or GAD-7.
02
Evaluation factor
Patient safety and protocol
30% weight
Probe how they handle suicidal ideation over video: Columbia protocol or ASQ use, safety planning, locating client address, mandated reporting, and duty-to-warn calls.
Evidence to listen for
Follows identification, infection control, and documentation protocol without prompting
Can describe an error or near miss and what they did
Escalates deterioration early
Treats protocol as protection rather than bureaucracy
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Casual about protocol; would not report an error.
2
Needs Improvement
Inconsistent protocol adherence; slow to escalate.
3
Satisfactory
Follows protocol reliably; documentation sometimes thin.
4
Very Good
Protocol is instinctive; escalates early and reports honestly.
5
Excellent
Describes a concrete telehealth crisis, verifies client location each session, documents safety plans, and knows local mobile crisis and 988 escalation paths.
03
Evaluation factor
Patient communication
20% weight
Assess rapport building through a screen: managing silences, reading affect on camera, handling no-shows, and repairing ruptures when a client disengages mid-course.
Evidence to listen for
Explains a procedure to an anxious or confused patient
Handles distress, pain, or refusal without losing control of the interaction
Respects privacy and dignity in practice, not just in principle
Works with families and carers
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Dismissive of patients; no bedside awareness.
2
Needs Improvement
Task-focused; struggles with distressed patients.
3
Satisfactory
Adequate rapport; less confident in difficult interactions.
4
Very Good
Calm, clear, and respectful with anxious or difficult patients.
5
Excellent
Gives specific examples of building alliance remotely, adapts pacing to client affect, and addresses dropout or resistance directly rather than avoiding it.
04
Evaluation factor
Working in a clinical team
15% weight
Look for coordination with psychiatrists on medication, consultation groups, supervision use, and comfort with EHRs such as SimplePractice, Alma, or Headway documentation standards.
Evidence to listen for
Hands over cleanly and completely
Challenges a colleague when patient safety requires it
Takes direction from clinicians without deferring blindly
Handles shift work and pressure without becoming difficult to work with
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Poor handover; cannot work in a clinical team.
2
Needs Improvement
Handover gaps; avoids raising concerns about colleagues.
3
Satisfactory
Reliable team member; handover adequate.
4
Very Good
Clean handovers and willing to speak up on safety.
5
Excellent
Routinely consults peers and prescribers, writes timely defensible notes, and shows they seek supervision on countertransference or complex diagnostic pictures.
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