MSU COUNSELING PROGRAM SITE SUPERVISOR ORIENTATION DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELING, LEADERSHIP, AND SPECIAL EDUCATION: COUNSELING GRADUATE PROGRAM Spring 2018
Welcome Missouri State University Graduate Counseling Program is a CACREP accredited program preparing school and community mental health counselors in national standards of professional and ethical practice. Counselor trainees receive instruction, coursework, and supervision to prepare for application of knowledge and skills in their future careers. Counselor trainees have opportunities to gain valuable, real-world experience through practicum auxiliary and internship placements that are established through partnerships with area schools and community agencies.
Directory Counseling Practicum and Internship Overview Slide 4 Site Placement Guidelines 5 Site Supervisor Information 6 Supervision, Ethics, Boundaries, Safety, Assessing Risk Practicum Guidelines (Auxiliary Placements) 16 Overview, Supervision, Preparation Internship Guidelines 20 Overview, Internship Experience, Preparation, Documentation Other Important Information 28 Potential issues, Deadlines, Handbook, Orientation Verification
Counseling Practicums and Internships Practicums and internships are competitive field placement experiences where counselor trainees have opportunity to enhance counseling skills while practicing under the supervision of professional counselors. Practicums require a minimum of 10-20 direct contact hours per semester at schools or community agencies with the remaining hours to be completed at Center City Counseling Clinic or in Gohn Hall, West Plains in the MSU Counseling Practicum Training experience lab. Internships require a minimum of 300 hours at a school or community-based site with a minimum of 120 direct contact hours.
Site Placements Counselor trainees: follow MSU counseling program guidelines for applying for practicums and internships. are responsible for finding their own sites by following program guidelines and seeking placements through the MSU practicum and internship Approved Site Placement List. complete Clearance Document requirements and file the documents with the Educational Field Experiences Office in the Teacher Certification department. must complete all program application requirements and site specific requirements. are approved and released for placement by the Practicum and Internship Coordinator.
SITE SUPERVISORS
Supervision of Counselor Trainees Potential site supervisors must: be a fully licensed (CMHC) or certified (school) counselor in the state of MO with a minimum of five years of fully licensed/certified experience. (*See Practicum Auxiliary Site information for information about on-site supervision of the practicum auxiliary experience.) CMHC supervisors must be Licensed Professional Counselors or Licensed Psychologists. work at a school or an agency that is willing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University. complete an online orientation each semester a counselor trainee is placed at the site. complete site supervisor training once every three years. provide a copy of their professional resume or curricular vitae with contact information, credentials, degrees, and relevant work experience to the Practicum and Internship Coordinator. engage in professional and ethical supervision of counselor trainees under the ACA (and ASCA for school counselors) Ethical Standards. agree to provide a minimum average of one hour per week of face-to-face supervision continuing through the entire placement experience and complete required program paperwork, including a supervision agreement (for interns). be fully engaged in the supervisory experience during the entire duration of the experience and on-site for counselor trainee access.
Supervision A supervision model is crucial as we consider our own supervision experiences and how this has contributed to our own role(s) as counselors and supervisors. Thompson (2004) identified three stages of supervision Dependency Trial and turbulence Growth An Integrated, Developmental Approach in Supervision (Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987) Dependency Stage: lack of utilization of feedback for fear of doing something wrong; reliance on supervisor for direction and decision-making; trainee doesn t ask questions or raise concerns Dependency-Autonomy/Conflict: trainee makes strides in independent thinking; still unsure and dependent on supervisor Conditional Dependency: trainee experiences an increase in self-determination; feels more confident in work; some self-doubt persists Master Counselor Stage: trainee experiences competence; successfully incorporates theory and practice
Supervision Continued Various models indicate core characteristics of effective supervision. Interns and site supervisors are assigned a Values Clarification exercise to promote discussion about values that may enhance, or impair, the supervisory relationship. Appropriate boundaries in counseling supervision are essential for ethical counselor development. At times supervision may be therapeutic, but supervision is not therapy. Counselor trainees are encouraged to seek counseling as part of their developmental process and referrals for counseling can be obtained by contacting MSU faculty.
Supervision Ethics and Boundaries It is important to monitor boundaries in the supervisor/supervisee relationship and supervisee/client relationship. Supervisors attend to appropriate boundaries and model them for supervisees. Supervisors address boundaries and supervision areas within the ACA (and ASCA for school) code of ethics. Supervisors have awareness that supervisees may need assistance establishing and maintaining boundaries. Supervisors and supervisees demonstrate compliance with ACA (and ASCA for school) guidelines.
Safety Considerations Practicum students and interns are trained in mandated reporting of suspected abuse, neglect, and duty to warn. Interns and site supervisors should work together to ensure safety of clients and others. Tarasoff Decision (1976): When a therapist determines, or pursuant to the standards of his/her profession should determine, that his/her patient represents a serious danger of violence to another, he/she incurs the obligation to use reasonable care to protect the intended victim.
QPR: Suicide Prevention Training Counselor trainees are now required to complete suicide prevention training prior to practicum participation. QPR Suicide Prevention Training is an online training provided as a refresher for screening for suicidal risk and providing referrals and support for client. Counselor trainees must provide a copy of the completion certificate to verify they have completed this requirement. Counselor trainees agree to abide by the ACA (and ASCA for school counselors) ethical standards.
Mandated Reporting Counselor trainees are mandated reporters of suspected abuse and/or neglect. Suspicion, not proof, merits reporting Counselor trainees are not investigators and should not engage in questioning that could impede and investigation The individual reporting requirement applies to all counselor trainees and notifying a supervisor, administrator, or other support does not exempt a counselor trainee from reporting requirements. Counselor trainees are required to complete mandated reporter training prior to participation in practicums. The free training can be found at: www.protectmokids.com Counselor trainees agree to perform all responsibilities under the ACA (and ASCA for school counselors) ethical standards.
Harm to Self or Others Counselor trainees have an ethical responsibility regarding client risk of harm to self and/or others and agree to abide by the ACA (and ASCA for school counselors) ethical standards of the profession. Additionally, reports of abuse and/or neglect may be required if harm has already occurred to individuals who are minors, elderly, or disabled. If risk of harm to others is suspected, counselor trainees have a duty to warn. Tarasoff Decision (1976): When a therapist determines, or pursuant to the standards of his/her profession should determine, that his/her patient represents a serious danger of violence to another, he/she incurs the obligation to use reasonable care to protect the intended victim. The following slide may be helpful when dealing with risk of harm to others
Tarasoff Reporting Checklist Go over consent to treat, confidentiality and limits to confidentiality with all clients prior to providing services Contact supervisor immediately if risk of harm is suspected Contact police in jurisdiction of identified victim(s) if there is risk of harm. Give only the information necessary to ensure safety (your name, client name, content of threat) Attempt to contact identified victim(s) to alert of harm Complete detailed documentation Send a letter with information about call and precautionary measures Place a file in client file and keep copy Debrief with supervisor Attempt repair with client
PRACTICUM Auxiliary Placement Sites
Practicum Overview Practicums are competitive and spots are limited each semester. Applicants should attend the information meeting held in the semester prior to application. Counselor trainees released for registration in practicum are required to attend a mandatory Practicum Clinic Orientation after approval and prior to the start of practicum. Failure to attend the required orientation will result in delaying the practicum application to a later semester. Practicums are a minimum of 100 hours over the course of one semester. a minimum of 40 direct client contact hours are required with a minimum of 20 of the direct client contact hours provided at Center City Counseling Clinic or the MSU Counseling Practicum Training Experience at Gohn Hall in West Plains. The remaining direct contact hours may be completed at approved auxiliary placement sites. During the practicum experience, counselor trainees participate in six hours of course meeting time that includes individual and group supervision, content instruction, and providing counseling services under the supervision of program faculty a minimum average of one hour per week of individual or triadic supervision is required a minimum average of one and a half hours per week of group supervision is required.
Practicum Supervision A fully licensed professional counselor or psychologist (or fully certified school counselor for school counselors) must be available to oversee the auxiliary practicum experience. The on-site counselor must not be in his/her first year at the site and must be fully licensed and/or certified with a minimum of two years of fully licensed (certified for school counselors) experience. The on-site counselor must be willing to sign the counselor trainees verification documents and observe whole class counseling lessons when applicable. Counselor trainees who are not teacher certified are required to complete a minimum of four whole-class counseling lessons with and/or under the supervision of the on-site counselor. At the end of the auxiliary practicum experience, on-site counselors are asked to sign completion documents and complete feedback of the counselor trainee s experience.
Practicum Preparation After a counselor trainee has been approved for the site: Schedule a time to meet to review and complete program paperwork Complete the Practicum First Meeting Checklist and Practicum Auxiliary Site Agreement Schedule dates/times for the counselor trainee to attend site and go over site processes and procedures as well as expectations and responsibilities for counselor trainee(s) Counselor trainees should submit all paperwork to the practicum instructor. The practicum instructor serves as the supervisor for the auxiliary experience.
INTERNSHIP
Internship Overview Internships are competitive and spots are limited each semester. Applicants should attend the information meeting held in the semester prior to application. Counselor trainees released for registration in internships are required to attend a mandatory Internship Orientation after approval and prior to the start of internship. Failure to attend the required orientation will result in delaying the internship application to a later semester. Internships are a minimum of 300 hours over the course of a semester. (600 total internship hours are required over two semesters.) 120 of the 300 hours must be direct contact hours Interns are placed at approved schools and community agencies for a minimum of 15-20 hours per week throughout the duration of the semester. During the internship experience, counselor trainees participate in three hours of course meeting time that includes group supervision, content instruction, and consultation of counseling services under the supervision of program faculty a minimum average of one hour per week of individual or triadic supervision is required (provided at the site by an approved on-site supervisor). a minimum average of one and a half hours per week of group supervision is required (provided by program faculty during weekly class meeting time). interns must conduct one six-week group facilitation or co-facilitation during the internship experience.
The Internship Experience The internship experience is designed to: enhance counseling skills provide diverse experiences facilitate skills, knowledge, and training as it applies to career application develop networks of professional collaboration and support Specialization is not recommended or encouraged during internship placements, however internship placements may lead to additional training and specialization after graduation/degree completion while individuals seek licensure. MSU program faculty will visit every internship site every semester that an intern is placed. Site supervisors are encouraged to provide feedback about interns and the counselor trainee program at this visit and through online collection methods. Feedback is utilized to improve and enhance training experiences.
Important Information for School Counseling Interns School counseling interns are expected to engage in all components of the Comprehensive Counseling Program and are encouraged to follow the recommended guidelines for distribution of time by keeping a Time and Task Log. During the first semester of the school internship experience, interns complete a research-based, data collection intervention project. During one semester of the school internship experience, interns must (co)facilitate a six week small group. Some interns combine this with the research-based intervention. During the second semester of the school internship experience, interns must complete three performance tasks that are required for certification requirements for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).
Internship Preparation Read, discuss, and sign the Internship Agreement By signing this agreement, the site and site supervisor agree to abide by the American Counseling Association (ACA) (and American School Counselors Association (ASCA) for school counseling) code of ethics and do not abide by any other code of ethics that are in conflict with these standards. By signing this agreement, the intern agrees to strive to serve clients as a multi-culturally competent counselor trainee and to work within his/her scope of training/practice within the ethical standards for counselors. Schedule day(s)/time(s) of supervision meetings Interns are required to participate in one-hour each week of face-to-face individual or triadic supervision. If on-site group supervision is offered, it is recommended that interns participate in this supervision experience as well. Interns are required to participate in group supervision during scheduled MSU class times each week. Work together to develop site-specific supervision agreement Complete the First Meeting Checklist, including discussion of the Values Clarification Exercise Review intern s final evaluation from practicum or first internship experience A copy of the materials should be turned in to the course instructor at the first class meeting
Recommendations It is recommended that site supervisors and potential interns have conversations to assess fit prior to placement regarding expectations and the intern s scope of training/practice. (Not all interns have had coursework and training in working with young children, groups, couples/family systems, substance use/abuse, crisis, etc.) We recommend that interns add to their case load slowly during the first 2-3 weeks of placement to become familiar with site processes, procedures, and expectations while adjusting to the site experience.
Documentation of Services Direct Services include: Individual counseling Couples and family counseling Group counseling Whole class counseling Intakes Other services as approved by course instructor and involving direct (in-person) contact with clients Indirect Services include: Treatment planning, case notes, records Lesson/small group planning Individual and group supervision Professional development Observations Team meetings, consultation, collaboration, etc. Other services as approved by course instructor
Indirect Services Counseling interns may begin accumulating indirect hours prior to the start of the MSU semester with prior approval (see Practicum and Internship Handbook). All services must be documented and submitted to the course instructor with the first Weekly Progress Report. Interns are encouraged to engage in a variety of indirect services and site supervisors are encouraged to facilitate recommendations for balancing a variety of indirect experiences to enhance overall counselor development.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Potential Issues Supervisor s are responsible for ensuring counselor trainees are working within scope of training/practice. Counselor trainees are not to: transport clients count parent aide or supervised visit hours as direct hours count case management as counseling engage in any activities off-site without approval of course instructor If issues arise, supervisors should contact the course instructor immediately and follow up with the internship coordinator as needed. If an emergency arises creating circumstances that would prevent the on-site supervisor from being at the site for an extended period of time, or unable to meet with the counselor trainee for supervision weekly, the course instructor should be immediately notified.
Practicum and Internship Application Deadlines Counselor trainees applying for fall and summer semesters are required to apply by February 1. Counselor trainees applying for spring semesters are required to apply by August 1. Applications are processed and approved by the Practicum and Internship Coordinator prior to University registration release dates. Due to the early registration dates, counselor trainees may be conditionally approved and released for registration with the understanding that additional processes are required for actual participation. Participation in practicums and internships requires completion of all application requirements prior to the of the semester of anticipated participation. Applicants are notified by the Practicum and Internship Coordinator of approval and/or outstanding items required for participation.
Practicum and Internship Handbook All of the information in this informational presentation can be found in the Practicum and Internship Handbook found here: (The Practicum and Internship Handbook is in revision and should be posted in the first week of spring 2018 MSU scheduled classes.) The handbook is the most effective place for counselor trainees and supervisors to access the most current versions of forms and information related to practicums and internships. Please refer to the handbook and contact the Practicum and Internship Coordinator if you have additional questions or suggestions.
Completion Orientation Verification Once you have completed this orientation, please copy and paste the click on the link below to complete the site supervisor update: Site Supervisor Update Link Please send a pdf copy of your resume to: Rsmotherman@MissouriState.edu Once the Google form and your resume is received, your site supervisor training date will be updated.
Internship Site Supervisor Payment Internship site supervisors are eligible to receive a stipend each semester for each intern placed at the internship site. An Independent Contractor form can be found at: https://apps.missouristate.edu/financialservices/forms/independentcontractorform.p df These forms must be completed in black ink and the original, signed form must be submitted by mail or delivered to Judy Campbell for payment. Questions should be directed to JCampbell@MissouriState.edu or by phone at (417) 836-5392. Forms may be mailed to: Missouri State University c/o Judy Campbell, CLSE 901 South National Avenue Springfield, Missouri 65897 If you have been employed by MSU any time during the last year, please contact Judy for information about alternative processes for obtaining payment.
Thank you for your willingness to provide supervision and share your expertise with counselor trainees. If you have additional questions or concerns, please email the Practicum and Internship Coordinator at: Rsmotherman@Missouristate.edu. If you are hosting an intern this semester, the course instructor will contact you to set up a site visit, collect feedback, and provide program updates. Thank you!