Presented by Jona Jeffcoat MT-BC

Growing Your Private Practice (13 credits)

You’ve established your practice. The word is out! Referrals are coming in! There are only so many hours in the day….so what’s next? How do you grow your team? Independent contractor or employee? Part-time or full-time? Hourly or salaried? There are so many questions to ask!!!!

This course will cover the ins and outs of taking your practice to the next level. We will start with the almighty question-WHEN IS IT TIME TO HIRE?!?!?! Together we will explore the questions you need to ask yourself as a business owner as you decide whether or not to grow your team. We will review the ins and outs of the hiring process from what to ask, what not to ask, and how to get ideal candidates into your practice. We will explore the IRS definitions of employee and sub-contractor and business implications for each.

As your team grows and develops, it is essential to develop good business and communication practices to keep your business healthy. How do you ensure that you know what is happening with the clients you are no longer directly seeing? How do you know when a session was missed? And why? How do you professionally communicate expectations with your staff? How do you keep your team from splintering when there is more of “them” than there is of “you”. This course will cover general strategies to ensure that you stay informed about client care and that you remain an active person in your business without letting the business run you. Employee reviews, disciplinary actions, benefits, and client tracking will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the difference between a sub-contractor and an employee according to IRS standards.

• Identify types of employee benefits they can offer as an employer.

• Identify the steps needed to hire an employee/ contract a independent contractor including writing a job posting, setting up an interview, and writing an offer letter/ contract

• Identify at least three procedures/policies they may need to amend or add in order to accommodate a growing team.

If you are interested in taking your business to the next level, this is the course for you!

Schedule:

This course is delivered in three 2 hour sections. Videos for each section are  split into 30 minute segments. You will have unlimited access to the recordings for your review. Each segment of the class has an assignment for you to complete which will take between 1 1/2-2 hours.

The following topics will be covered:

• Pros and cons of expanding your team

• Deciding when you need to expand your team

• Differences between employees and independent contractors and considerations for each

• Types of employees: part-time, full-time, hourly, salaried, paid per visit

• How to write a job description and post a position

• How to conduct an interview: what can you say? What can you not say?

• Writing an offer letter/ independent contractor agreement

• Designing training and orientation for new employees

• Tax forms needed

• General payroll information

• Types of employee benefits

• Keeping lines of communication open: quality assurance practices, employee reviews, disciplinary action

• Terminating an employee

• Transitioning clients effectively

• Code of Ethics and employment/contracting implications

As part of this course you will receive feedback on several homework assignments including feedback on your job posting, interview questions, offer letter, and job description.

Instructor:

Jona Jeffcoat is a board-certified music therapist and the Director of Services/ Owner of Infinity Music Therapy Services in Connecticut. Jona founded Infinity as a part time practice in 2010. In August 2012, she quit her full-time job to take on her practice full time. Jona currently has a team of seven music therapists, one music therapy intern, and several support staff. She has also had several independent contractors at various stages of her business growth. Jona is a recognized leader in healthcare in her community and speaks at local and national levels about the therapeutic use of music. 

CBMT Domain Area:

Engage in business management tasks (V.B.19)

Growing Your Private Practice– is  approved by the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) for 13 CMTEs-Continuing Music Therapy Education credits. The Spiegel Academy, CBMT Approved Provider #P-106,  maintains responsibility for program quality and adherence to CBMT policies and criteria.