Everything you can do to make your new hire feel a part of the fabric of the CAC, identify with the mission, trust others with whom they work remotely, depend on others in the CAC and MDT, and welcome it when others depend on them, will help them engage with the CAC and find satisfaction in the job.

Invest in thoughtful, strategic onboarding.

In traditional in-person settings, coworkers have a tremendous influence in imparting the organizational culture. If possible, bring your remote hire to the center early on to meet the staff and MDT members. The same trip can include a physical tour of the community to allow the clinician to get a feel for the area they will serve. If travel to the CAC is not practical, efforts should be made to replicate the onboarding experience virtually as best you can. This approach could include a video orientation where staff and MDT members tour the center with a camera in hand and explain the CAC mission and their roles.

Embrace Clarity.

Because remote employees have few opportunities to learn the organizational culture informally from their peers, the more explicit you can be about the role and how it fits into the structure of the CAC and MDT, the better.

Start with a solid foundation of skills and technology.

A key task that should start as soon as you select your new remote hire is to assess their past training and current competency in core areas of telemental health trauma treatment. From this assessment, you can make plans to address shortcomings or areas needing further development. It will be necessary to be sure they are familiar with the technology they will be using and what the child and family may be relying upon. For more information, see Clinical Services > Training.