IAABC Approved Mentor Responsibilities

Ø      IAABC Approved Mentors may supervise Associate members who are working towards IAABC Certified Membership and Certified members wishing to expand their skill base. Associate members will be awarded credit towards certification for entering in to a supervisory relationship with an IAABC Approved Mentor; Certified members will earn CEUs.

Ø      Conversation between the IAABC trainee and the mentor will preferably take place in-person but can be by phone or by e-mail if distance is an issue*.  The mentee may be asked to use audio or video taping with appropriate client consent.

Ø       The learning process should be as sustained and intense as necessary to support mentee development.

Ø       The major emphasis of supervision should be on the trainee’s work with clients. Supervision focuses on live cases.

Ø       Agreement should be reached about fees and collection procedures, hours, time and methods for meeting, case responsibility, case review, handling of potentially dangerous client situations, and so forth.

Ø       Mentors should recognize their legal responsibilities for cases seen by mentees. Both mentors and mentees should have liability insurance coverage.

Ø      Progress Reports:  The progress of trainees should be periodically reviewed according to pre-determined goals, and evaluations should be shared and discussed with mentees. Mentors comply with mentee requests for confirmation of supervision and performance reviews to IAABC the Standards Commission.  Evaluation forms will be provided by the IAABC Standards Commission

Ø      Should a mentor develop significant concerns about the abilities, philosophical beliefs, or practices of a mentee, the concerns must be shared with the mentee and documented in writing as early as possible. Mentors do not disclose trainee confidences except in limited circumstances described in the IAABC Code of Ethics. 

Ø      Tutorials: Mentors may assist IAABC members formally on the tutorials; case presenters may ask mentors assisting on tutorials to submit progress reports. Mentors will be especially interested in mentees’ ability to negotiate practice issues successfully and to learn from mentors and colleagues. 

*Geographic Hardship: Associate members (on the path to certification) who need supervised practice hours but live in areas where there is no compatible choice of Approved Mentors within 20 miles may fulfill the mentoring requirements by telephone and e-mail.  They may be required to present videotaping of animals and their habitats