IMPROVING THE AGENCY PSYCHIATRIC PROGRAM

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP67-00134R000100140018-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 4, 2006
• Sequence Number: 18
• Publication Date: June 12, 1956
• Content Type: MF

Approved For Release 2006/07/05-: CIA RDP67-00134R0001O6 j $rt _. 2..'jV
12 June 119%
LTUMMA D`UM FOR- Inspee:to~ Oene 'aJ.
i r z ? . Deputy D i r e to ~ v ' i a ? s ' V 3 o r ' - - , AUG 4 195
C' 3 . CT : improving te~Le A2ancy Ps jchiia."iTic Program
r ME . L mox'andu~? for ChIeb, %e6.ical Staff, from a Ina ec tos
General, dated 26 ?ay 1956, E u'~ ee as Above
A. The N.edica1 Staf urshes to ec' ;L :ec~3e the continued interest
and. tuuport the Office of t.'--Z fc, nc. ra . Las demonstrated In
repaid the develo r.rient of the sych iatu'1c ::rogram. The rcf-,renceL:al
memorand= is continued evidence of such 'Inter'est and is crelcoi`.ed Ps
constructive assistance to a most aenni tive pr'obleui.
s3. Referenced iaamolna,nd'J n has '-')eon Ci::scuseed in. detail uit*11 the
')hector' of Personnel, hl v3 d`eput'y, cn d at3T: c ~s :s to edicai Staff
`elboz s .
ApgroprIate port';ons have been diecusoed the General Counsel and
t?ae Comptroller.
"C. In ' cra:,72ating a re Ply to t1-le eci' 'ic recom enda.tions of the
r'e'ferenced Ll2k o aid , considerasi, oT? Wiz'::! to he 7,---ven to Several fur ae?
L--ntal factors. The L':ir's t of t%' oe 1 aas to do v3.1 h 't'edi c ~l Staf c a ~. e
bilities and, in particular, t1 ose of the I'sy'ckiiatr'ic Division. The
or?esent modest size of the '~ arc t ~~ rIo ~s; 's has only been obtained
as ter three years ' e:-z endf tuLre of ener ; it will take ecuivalent energy
to reface staff mesbero Y:Pno 7I1 e ~' o r lv to :s`lio in the
There are no m uzis by ?.Px z ch the 4 L f :~a.i2,s:."' c ) v.~,,J'.on could su!aenr y an;
e..~.g u.. ., ~,~ ni icantly ins`_cre _,#3e nr? t o
'~.B dF_1t3r"SEl%st, `wL^..:"?
fore, that the p 3ar cF :ia tTis p -o^ 'am P-1 ct for olo r anti steady g Ou;,Li2 and
n3 t ; eriodic ex ansion. v t icr .o ?e, ' v i ''~Ifyortant tx~at azycn: rt 'lc
cad Gila? ie?~ be devoted to the roar;. spec t.c Of A_ceney requirements- anc
not concentrated on as y ore facet = o ?' r,~ excl lion of others.
The secon:.d fuxbdatcan` 2. .t:,4. 1for 7tas to do -74-th adherence to ant.
tie voloc,niant of Agency `olicy. Pte"::eer ~:. .,~ reaac y p *I-Icy limits the ability
of Agency cusp n nt; to acrd ro full dr u`';on_cIbility for 11 recess or injury.
Mdherence to such 0o1Icy subjects t -ency to criticism ;ui ed 3rrcm
RI/CDF
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a philosophical concept of mo ?e inclusive Agency responsibility. To
develop a policy of full Agency responsibility evolves r any considera-
tions that go beyond the scope of this paper and wuld require pore
than minimum dislocation of existing programs. It is believed that all
interested components zrould be pleased to discuss the possible develop-
ments of broader responsibilities with the In Spector General and other
officials; hosever, pending the adoption of the same, the comments of
this paper must be based on existing limitations of authority.
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XL 1Zeco enclatioxia
?Reference is made to E"emoranduan fro X ectoy General, dated 26
May 1956, Subject: Improving the Agency Psychiatric Program.
In :s ,-ctoz, General's 1Reco ndation 2a,
"The Office of Personnel (Xnsur nce and Casualty Division) and the
Medical Staff should t-rork much Lore closely in the matter of claims
presented to the Bureau of :Employees a Con e ation. They have a dual
reepo ibil5 ty to the Agency ax.; its elp,; acyees to insure that employees,
claims are vigorously prosecuted and the em-aloyees kept apprised of
their status . "
 Approved For Release 2006/0 Q =RDP67-00134R000100140018-5
It is believed that the respective offices are working, closely
together and with the Bureau of Emplm ds? Cogpensation. The question
of compensability of emotional ill ese ie very complicated and relatively
nets to the experience of Covernzient. It is believed that more vigorous
pursuit could be obtained through the eetablicbment of a panel of con-
sultant psychiatric examiners hoe expert advice would be available to
the E"medical Staff. The continued utilization of such a ,nel could
assist in the esstablishirent of st ndardizatz.on criteria. A recomrenda?
tion in regard panel establishment is in process of preparation to the
Deputy Director (Support).
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0
?
Inspector Generalas Recommendation 2b
"The Psychiatric Division of the Z''ed.ical Staff should utilize its
referral contacts with cleared private psychiatrists by guiding indiv-
iduals to adequate private therapy in those cases Mere therapy is
indicated. The Agency should uaTze l ibe-~ al i?i2ancial erra, euents with
enployeess unable to meet the costs of such therapy.''
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?
Maedica. Staff Comments on Reco rnexdation 2b
The Psychiatric Division of the 1aedical Staff has been utilizing
contacts frith cleared psychictriats for the referral of Agency employees
as a fundamental precept and in a continuing fashion. In addition,
funds which are available to this Staff within the authority of alloca-
tion have arrays been expended for such purpose.-
To further pay the costs of psychiatric care exceeds present
,ithority and policy.
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?
ino ctor g oa l' o RecoE 2ndation 2c
"The Office of Personnel, in concul.ta tion Frith the Lrdica]. Staff,
Should secure the services of an individ a.l trained in interpreting
and transmitting, the results of psychiatric evaluation, whose sole
responsibility would be to sub-cle gent t;7 -s work of the Psychiatric
Division and the EL''edical Staff in perform ing an employee counseling,
service. This case worker should. be sufficiently informed about
psychiatric techniques to be acceptable to the Psychiatric Division
and should be sufficiently informed of Agency administrative and opera-
tional routines to work adequately with support and operational units
in handling, individual cases."
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0
Medical Staff Co ents on 1 ecor.. endation 2c
The Office of Personnel and the "edical Staff have previously
discussed the need for the services of a psychiatric social i-rocker and
will secure the services of the same in. a mutually acceptable fashion.
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inspector General ? s Recommendation 2d
"The philosophy, concept and reasons behind the Agency's psychiatric
evaluation program should be defined and published under the DCI's signa-
ture in a notice in thel for distribution to all Agency
employees. This notice should indicate that psychiatric screening and
evaluation will be extended to all Agency personnel not previously
covered as soon as practicable. The tenor of this notice should estab-
lish the validity of the program in terms of recognizing, the unusual
pressures and tension inherent in Agency employment. As a supplement
to this Agency notice, the Radical Staff should participate in Agency
orientation and training programs and should explain in detail the
purpose and methods of the psychiatric program."
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Medical Staff Corn n e on Reco n. xa pion 2d
It is agreed that an Agency regulation in thel on the
subject of the psychiatric program e oid be published and necessary
action will, be taken.
It is not considered feasible to examine all Agency personnel not
previously evaluated. The Hedical Staff does not possess the capabilities
to accomplish such objective. io t_l routine selection requirements have
recently been increased by 1/6 ;h on an annual basis and our present
problem is to meet this additiona'. ba is uor!Zl.oad. Y n addition, the
clinical nature of the psychiatric pro,am provides a means whereby this
problem may be approached through
(1) referral for psyc at ric evaluation '.hen it is indicated
by those with supervisory ?e o sibilities, and
(2) the establishment of a mental by Iene progra for the
purpose of identify'-n- areas of emotional conflict and methods of
dealing T th them therapeutical y; such a program is presently
under consideration within the )W x fps avork.
The purpose and methods of the psychiatric program are included in
presentations to the asic ?rsen~atio~a Coupe, 'tae OyeratIon Support
Course, and the Administrative Prccedures Course. Steps are being,
taken to augment the presentation of the pssycaiiatric program to the
Agency still further.
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? i
m eeto:~ ~nen ? ~ fern eL .saa pion 2e
We 'Disposition Mara,' crested ir.. o z11 y in Janus 1951 and
consisting of officials from the M1c ,1. Staff, the General Counoe1 and.
the Offices of Personnel and Security, should be aor a11.y constituted
by the DCI as a permanent 'hap1oyee Re-view nos a p- suant t
and should have as full Edbb e a :t dp esenta ~?~e of We DD /I and the 25X1
DD/.P
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`Jt.~~Ll J..J
? ?
ee&Lca1 Staff c ntn on Reco endataor 2e
It is agreed that the DispooNion Board should have representation
from the nD/I and the DD/P; hcuaver, it is believed that representation
should be on a case basis and correspond to the organizational component
of the case under consideration.. It is not agreed that the Disposition
Board should be constituted as an Employee Review Board. Such action
would negate the purpose for vOch the Board vaa founded; namely, to
provide a means whereby nnzL ie& considerations could be obtained and.
agreement reached as to how the a miflistrative aspects of a psychiatric
case could best be handled pending the final outco e of the case
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The Medical Staff has not implentead Phase 11 of the psychiatric
program and, consequently, cannot attribute any increase in psychiatric
problems to such action. Rather, the Staff has been inclined to believe
that the incidence of problems has shown a is dexicy to decrease over the
past six months. The Kedical Staff uould welcome an opportunity to
discuss any apparent problem increase with the Inspector General so that
other remedial steps may be taken.
cc: DD/S
R. T ETJ M .D.
Kedical Staff