PRACTICUM &INTERNSHIPORIENTATION

MONTGOMERY FACULTYDr. Melissa Deroche

Dr. Laura Hodges

Dr. Lynn Boyd

Dr. Necoal Driver

Dr. Rodney Maiden

WELCOME &CONGRATULATIONS!!!

MEETING OVERVIEW Field experience is the primary mechanism of applied

training and evaluation

Field experience training is the supervised out-of-class field experience with a clinical population that takes place within the clinical mental health setting/school/rehabilitation facility

A primary goal of field experience is the development of competent counselors who are able to deliver basic and effective assessment and therapeutic intervention skills, by means of supervised direct client contact.

WHAT TO EXPECT

DUTIES MAY INCLUDE: Orientation to the agency, specific to the agency, site and/or the program

Observation

Individual and group counseling

Consultation with other professionals

Intake and/or assessment procedures

Treatment planning

Staff meetings

Documentation

Supervision

Attend in-service trainings as required by the site

Activities specific to the site

BREAKDOWN OF HOURS

PRACTICUM

100 total hoursof which 40 must be direct counseling hours

INTERNSHIP

600 total hours(300 hours/semester)

120 each semester must be direct counseling hours

DIRECT SERVICE“Direct Service” shall be defined as follows:

The supervised use of counseling, consultation, or related professional skills with actual clients (can be individuals, couples, families, or groups) for the purpose of fostering social, cognitive, behavioral, and/or affective change.

These activities must involve interaction with others and may include: (1) assessment, (2) counseling, (3) psycho-educational activities, and (4) consultation.

The following would not be considered direct service: (1) observing others providing counseling or related services, (2) record keeping, (3) administrative duties, (4) clinical and/or administrative supervision.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

PRACTICUM

Weekly Supervision Requirement I

Weekly interaction that averages one hour (1) per week of individual and/or triadic (an instructor and two counseling students) supervision throughout the Practicum, performed by the on-site supervisor.

The student must document the supervision on the Individual Supervision Summaries form.

Weekly Supervision Requirement II

An average of one and one-half (1-1/2) hours per week of group supervision that is provided on a regular schedule throughout the Practicum/Internship by a Troy University counseling program faculty member (this is a class).

The student must document the supervision on the Practicum/Internship Group Supervision form.

Weekly Supervision Requirement III

Weekly interaction that averages one hour (1) per week of individual and/or triadic (an instructor and two counseling students) supervision throughout the Practicum by a Troy University counseling program faculty member.

The student must document the supervision on the Individual Supervision Summaries form.

INTERNSHIP

Internship Required Hours2 internships required over two semesters300 total hours – direct and indirect services on

site120 hours direct contact hours – face to face

counseling individual, group or family counseling

1 hour of individual with site supervisor and 1.5 hours of group supervision weekly per semester (600 total hours, 240 direct counseling hours to meet graduation requirements)

APPROVED INTERNSHIP SITES

REQUIREMENTS

Setting for individual counseling with assured privacy

Settings for small group workAllows audio and/or video tapingProcedures that ensure confidentialityWorking with minors: background check

APPROVED SUPERVISOR FOR

PRACTICUM/INTERNSHIP AT A SITE

SITE SUPERVISOR REQUIREMENTS A minimum of a Master’s degree in counseling or

related field (i.e., Psychology, Social Work, Marriage & Family)

A licensed counselor is preferred; however, a minimum of two years of pertinent professional experience in the field is accepted

Knowledge of Troy’s counseling program’s expectations, requirements, and evaluation procedures for students

Relevant training in counseling supervision

Liability Insurance: A MUST HAVE• Students must be covered by professional

counseling liability insurance during all fieldwork.

• It is REQUIRED for all students

• Join ACA or AMHCA – you will receive a discount

• School Counselors: join ASCA and professional counseling liability insurance is included in your membership!

• HPSO – around $30.00 for students

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO PURCHASE LIABILITY INSURANCE

OPTIONShttps://www.hpso.com/https://www.counseling.org (ACA)American Mental Health Counseling Association

(AMHCA)American School Counseling Association (ASCA)National Rehabilitation Association (NRA)

[REHAB STUDENTS ONLY]

After you pay for professional counseling liability insurance, PRINT for your records, a Certificate of Insurance…

SO…HOW DO I

CORRECTLY START THIS WHOLE

PROCESS?

To Be Eligible to Begin Practicum

Email your advisor to determine your eligibility to begin practicum.

Complete application forms for Practicum found in Canvas.

To Be Eligible to Begin Practicum: Required Hours at Home Campus Students enrolled in the Counselor Education programs at

Troy University must complete 60% of their required academic hours (excluding Practicum and Internship) at the site where their Practicum and Internship will be completed (home campus).

This means that the required hours at the home campus for the 60-hour program is ten (10) courses;

for 48-hour programs it is eight (8) courses;

for 36-hour programs it is seven (7) courses.

Students should contact their academic advisors for specific requirements.

To Be Eligible to Begin Practicum: Core Courses for Clinical Mental HealthFor Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Professional Orientation and EthicsFacilitation Skills and Counseling TechniquesGroup CounselingTheories of CounselingBehavior Pathology Diagnosis & Treatment Planning

To Be Eligible to Begin Practicum: Core Courses for School CounselingFor School Counseling

Professional Orientation and EthicsFacilitation Skills and Counseling TechniquesGroup CounselingTheories of CounselingSchool Counseling and Program Management

To Be Eligible to Begin Practicum: Core Courses for Rehabilitation CounselingFor Rehabilitation Counseling

Professional Orientation and EthicsFacilitation Skills and Counseling TechniquesGroup CounselingTheories of CounselingRehabilitation Delivery and Process

Good time management Start early Work it regularly The more self-constraints, the more planning time needed

Resources Classmates Faculty Professional associations Resource list

Documentation Keep a log of contacts and next steps

How to Secure a Site: Tips

How to Secure a Site: Tips (continued) Professionalism

Resumes

Interviews

Written/verbal communication

Contacting sites

Be prepared to clearly present what you need and want from a site

Do your homework: research the site first but also check your facts

Have a back up plan ready

Make sure you have 1-2 extra sites in your back up plan since you will have only have one (1) month to secure your site

Background Checks

Sometimes required at sites!When interviewing sites ASK – there may be

a fee to have fingerprinting done.Please, schedule an appointment with your

advisor to discuss if there is something on your criminal record.

Forms to Begin Practicum & InternshipThe following forms must be submitted in the semester prior to intended start:1. Pre-practicum Application – Signed by Advisor - or – an email from your Advisor indicating you meet the

requirements to take Practicum

2. Practicum and Internship Application 3. Practicum and Internship Contract 4. School Counseling – see Dr. Hodges for additional instructions

5. Certificate of professional counseling Liability Insurance

Due to the current health situation, Dr. Hodges is willing to work withstudents having difficulties meeting these deadlines.

If you are unable to meet one of the outlined deadlines, email Dr. Hodges, lhodges154803@troy.edu,and let her know where you are in the process of securing signatures.

Please keep her and your academic advisor updated on your progress.

CANVAS

All required fieldwork forms can be found in Canvas:

Log in to Canvas

Select ‘COURSES’, then ‘ALL COURSES’ from the left menu

Select the link for ‘Counseling Programs Student Resource Center’

Scroll down and select the link for ‘CRIT CE Programs Practicum/Internship Forms’

*****HOW TO TURN IN YOUR PAPERWORK***** Students will:

Neatly and in legible handwriting, complete the required paperwork

Remember, your Site Supervisor will be reading and reviewing the application and contract, so make sure to neatly fill in all blanks (even if it means repeating information!). This might be their first example of your work!

Secure all necessary signatures on paperwork

During the current health crisis, this may mean that you are faxing or scanning and emailing your paperwork to your potential Site Supervisor for signature.

It is alright to follow up with them if you have not received your signed documents back in a few days.

By the appropriate deadline, email the course registration form, completed/signed application, contract, and a copy of your current professional counseling liability insurance to Dr. Hodges, lhodges154803@troy.edu .

If you are having difficulty meeting the assigned deadline, please email Dr. Hodges and your academic advisor to inform us of the status of your paperwork, and what your plan is for submitting your paperwork.

LET’S TALK ABOUT GRADUATION! Clinical Mental Health, Substance Abuse & General

Counseling:

must take and pass the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam (CPCE)

School Counseling:

Must take and pass the PRAXIS II examination. A passing score on this exam may substitute as the comprehensive exam

Rehabilitation Counseling:

Must take and pass the CPCE or CRC examination. A passing score on the CRC exam may substitute as the comprehensive exam

Why the CPCE?Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination

The Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) is designed to measure a student's level of mastery of the requisite knowledge and skills identified by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and other Educational Professions (CACREP) for the preparation of professional counselors.

The Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Examination (CPCE) is an evaluation tool that assesses students' competence of foundational, counseling-related knowledge. The CPCE is designed to assess students who have completed graduate-level courses; courses that are grounded primarily in a counseling curriculum.

Facts about the CPCE…

Cost: $75.00Number of items: 160Assessment time: 4 hours

If you don’t already have plans to prepare and take the CPCE,

now is a good time to formulate and work your plan.

EXAMS BY PROGRAM

CMHCCPCENCE*

REHABCPCECRCNCE*

SCHOOLPRAXIS IINCE*

*NCE passing score is a required part of the application for the ALC (LPC)

QUESTIONS???

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)1. Can I take both Internships at one time?

2. If you think you might be considering this, you must receive approval from your academic advisor before proceeding. This is generally NOT an accepted practice because the faculty is evaluating your growth as a student into a professional counselor. Doing both Internships at one time defeats this purpose. Additionally, students find it difficult enough to earn the required 300 hours/Internship during the semester time period. To earn 600 hours in one semester would be monumental. (Previous students DO NOT recommend this approach).

3. Can I continue to earn hours during the break that can carry over to Internship II?

4. For hours to count, you must be supervised. In order to do this, you must first discuss this with your academic advisor to find out if they will be available to supervise you. You must also get approval from your Site Supervisor.

5. Can I stay at the same site for Intership?

Some students have stayed at the same site for both Internships. Referring back to information in item #2 above, doing this keeps you from having a wide range of experiences and working with a variety of clients, all of which enhances your development as a professional counselor.