Standard III-G
The program requires completion of a supervised internship in the student’s designated program area of 600 clock hours, begun after successful completion of the practicum. The internship is intended to reflect the comprehensive work experience of a professional counselor appropriate to the designated program area. Each student’s internship includes all of the following:
1. At least 240 clock hours of direct service, including experience leading groups.
School Counseling
The internship experience as described in these standards is fully met by COUN 693 or COUN 694/695, Internship, which begins after the students have successfully completed their Practicum, COUN 690. The internship is a professional supervised experience involving 600 clock hours and requiring the student to perform all the activities that a regular employed school counselor in the setting is expected to perform. This experience is the culminating activity of the master’s program. The students have the option of completing the required hours either in one semester (COUN 693) or in two semesters (COUN 694/695). Upon approval of the department, the student is permitted to accrue a maximum of 120 hours between semesters provided a weekly on-site supervision is available.
A minimum of 240 hours of direct service work with clientele appropriate to the program emphasis is required. Of which, a minimum of ten (10) hours must be in group work. Notation of client contacts is made on the Log of Internship Activities which is reviewed by both the site supervisor and the group supervisor.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Same as above.
Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy
The same procedures for the above mentioned programs are used with the Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy Program. Students in the MCFCT program use a separate Log of Internship Activities to record relational hours.
2. Weekly interaction that averages one hour per week of individual and/or triadic supervision throughout the internship, usually performed by the onsite supervisor.
School Counseling
A minimum of one hour per week of individual supervision provided by the site supervisor is indicated in the Clinical Site Approval Request Form and On Site Supervision Agreement. All supervision sessions provided on site must be noted on the Log of Internship Activities and documented on the Weekly Supervision Session Log.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Same as above
Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy
Same as above
3. An average of one and one half hours per week of group supervision provided on a regular schedule throughout the internship and performed by a program faculty member.
Students are provided with one and one half (1 ½) hours per week of group supervision through weekly Internship meetings provided by a full-time faculty member or an adjunct faculty member under the supervision of the Department Chairperson and the Clinical Coordinator. Group supervision is recorded on the Log of Internship Activities.
School Counseling
The following chart indicates the Internship sections taught by the full-time program faculty and adjunct faculty members for the academic year of 2011-2012.
Group Supervision / Internship COUN 693 (One-term)
Number of Section
|
Faculty |
Fall 2011 |
Spring 2012 |
| Dr. Ramsey |
1 |
2 |
| Dr. Cavallaro |
0 |
1 |
| Dr. Gibson |
0 |
1 |
| Mr. Leary* |
0 |
1 |
|
Total |
1 |
5 |
*Adjunct faculty
Note: Some sections include students in Community Counseling program.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The first group of students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program began practicum in Spring 2012. This group of student will enroll in Internship in Fall 2012.
Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy
Same as above.
4. The opportunity for the student to become familiar with a variety of professional activities and resources in addition to direct service (e.g., record keeping, assessment instruments, supervision, information and referral, in-service and staff meetings).
School Counseling
The program requires the student to become familiar with a variety of professional activities unique to the school setting in which they do supervised school counseling field work. A summary of the required clinical activities is provided on the Clinical Site Approval Request Form and is reviewed by the student’s site supervisor. In the internship classes, the group supervisors discuss the types of professional activities in which they need to be involved. This is discussed with the site supervisor during the site visit in order for the group supervisor to assess the degree to which the student is receiving the variety of professional activities on site. Non-direct service hours are documented on the Log of Internship Activities, which is reviewed both by the site supervisor and the group supervisor.
Site supervisors are encouraged to introduce students to all available professional resources and to afford them the opportunity to utilize these resources when doing so is appropriate. The group supervisor discusses with the site supervisor the available resources on site and the extent to which the student has had the opportunities to utilize these resources.
Additionally, the Department Chairperson forwards information on relevant professional development opportunities to the student email list serve so as to encourage students’ engagement in professional development activities. Examples of recent workshop topics include counseling sexually abused boys, Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying laws (HIB), gang violence, and substance abuse prevention.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The same approach used in the School Counseling Program applies to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. Example topics of recent workshops include substance abuse prevention, counseling sexually abused boys and treatment of clients with co-occurring disorders.
Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy
The same approach used in two of the above mentioned programs applies to the Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy Program. Example topics of recent workshops include structural family therapy, substance abuse prevention, counseling sexually abused boys, and children of divorce.
5. The opportunity for the student to develop program-appropriate audio/video recordings for use in supervision or to receive live supervision of his or her interactions with clients.
School Counseling
Students engage in audio/video recording and/or live supervision at their internship sites. A minimum of three tapes and/or live sessions are reviewed by the site supervisor when students are enrolled in COUN 693 or COUN 694/695. Confirmation of this supervision is secured by the group supervisor during the regular site visit and documented on the Weekly Supervision Session Log.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Same as above.
Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy
Same as above.
6. Evaluation of the student’s counseling performance throughout the internship, including documentation of a formal evaluation after the student completes the internship by a program faculty member in consultation with the site supervisor.
School Counseling
Ongoing evaluation occurs through case conceptualizations, audio and/or videotape critiques, special topic assignments, counselor self-reflection projects, and student performance on site which is documented on the Weekly Supervision Session Log. Final evaluation of the student’s performance is done by the faculty supervisor with input from the site supervisor who completes and submits the Supervisor Evaluation of Counselor Form at the end of the semester.
The final evaluation covers such areas as the counselor’s personal characteristics, professional conduct, skills in counseling, skills in career counseling (if applicable), referral skills, and knowledge of the school/agency. The site supervisor reviews the evaluation with the student, which in turn affords the student and the site supervisor with the opportunity to discuss the progress made by the student and areas for continued professional development.
Clinical Mental Health Counseling
The same procedure used in the School Counseling Program applies to the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. The program specific Supervisor Evaluation of Counselor Form is complete by site supervisors.
Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy
The same procedure used in two above mentioned programs applies to the Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling and Therapy Program. The program specific Supervisor Evaluation of Counselor Form is complete by site supervisors.