Practicum Orientation Webster University

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• Practicum OrientationWebster University
• 10/09/2007

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• Dr. Angelo R. Pimpinelli
  863-324-1380
• Coordinator of Counseling
• Discusses practica with students.
• Disseminates Practicum Application Packets.
• Reviews and approves applications.
• Answers questions regarding practica.
• Teaches practicum classes on campus and via web
  based classroom.
• Writes Practicum Confirmation letters for
  licensing and certification applications.

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Would you be willing to take legal and moral
responsibility for the words and actions of any
of these people for the next nine to thirty-six
weeks?
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Practicum Orientation Webster University

• Essentially, when you ask someone to serve as
  your practicum supervisor that is exactly what
  you are asking them to do take legal
  responsibility for your actions.
• Think about how you approach prospective
  supervisors. What impression are you making on
  them?

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• What is the difference between a degree program
  practicum/internship and a state sponsored
  registered internship?

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• Degree Program practica internships are classes
  where classroom learning is applied in a real
  world setting under the supervision of a
  qualified supervisor.
• They are the last classes taken within an
  academic setting (all core classes must be
  completed).

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• A State Registered Internship is when graduates
  practice under the supervision of qualified
  supervisors for a period of time in order to meet
  criteria necessary for certification or licensing
  at the state level.
• State Registered Internships are separate from
  Websters degree programs and must be applied for
  via respective agencies.

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• Both practica and internships are becoming very
  difficult to obtain.
• Due to extreme time and legal responsibilities
  placed on those agreeing to be supervisors, many
  licensed practitioners are hesitant to provide
  supervisory services or will charge supervisory
  fees.
• PLAN EARLY

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• To help ensure finding a qualified supervisor and
  practicum site
• Begin early, at least a year in advance
• Network, Network, Network. Get to know
  professionals in the field. Make sure they know
  you and what you have to offer.
• Purchase the practicum text well in advance
  Chapter one is devoted to finding practicum
  sites.
• Faiver, C., Eisengart, S. Colonna, R (2004) The
  counselor interns handbook. 3rd.ed. Wadsworth
  Publishing ISBN05345235X

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• When networking, present yourself professionally
  by
• Dressing appropriately professionally
• Using your best language skills
• Understanding the fundamentals of the profession
• Being insured against malpractice claims
• Being able to articulate what is being requested
  from the site and the supervisor
• Being able to articulate what you will offer the
  site and supervisor
• Have professional email address and telephone
  answering system messages

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Practicum OrientationWebster University
When seeking supervisors and sites Dress
Professionally
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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• When seeking supervisors and sites
• Communicate Professionally
• Use professional communication and correct
• grammar in writing and speaking
• Have professional email addresses and voicemail
• angelop_at_webster.edu
• Not toohotforyou_at_aol.com
• You have reached the voicemail for Angelo
  Pimpinelli. I am not available at this time, but
  your message is important to me. Please leave
  your name and contact information and I will
  return your call promptly.
• Not You know what to do.
• Not This is Angelos machine, leave a message.

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Practicum OrientationWebster University
Remember you are asking someone, in many cases
who does not know you, to be legally responsible
for your actions. You are also asking that person
to entrust the welfare of human clients and
patients to your care. THINK-ACT-BE Professional
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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• When searching for sites and supervisors think
  about
• Your Personal interests
• What knowledge sets and skills are sought
• Whether the sites and supervisors meet the
  criteria of the licensing and certifying Boards.

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• Where can practicum sites be found?
• Anywhere that offers the services of the licenses
  or certifications being sought
• Counseling and mental health agencies
• Private clinical practices
• Yellow Pages
• Internet
• From professional associations

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• How to determine whether a supervisor is
  qualified to offer supervisory services.
• Ask if the professional has gone through and
  passed the states training to perform
  supervision
• Check the states licensee data base
• School counseling supervisors and sites are
  assigned by the respective School Boards

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• How to determine whether the site meets state
  approval to provide supervision
• Basically, the primary purpose of the site must
  be to provide the type services of the license or
  certification sought.
• The practicum site and site-supervisor must meet
  CACREP (Council for Accreditation of Counseling
  Related Educational Programs) http//www.cacrep.or
  g/
• School Guidance practica and site-supervisors are
  assigned via respective School Boards.

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• Items that should be included in your
  professional portfolio when seeking a practicum
  site
• Professional Cover Letter/Intent
• Professional Vita
• Letters of Recommendation from those who know
  your skills and abilities
• Copy of Transcript or Degree Audit
• Copy and understanding of ACA Code of Ethics
• Copy of insurance cover page (insurance can be
  purchased through ACA at www.counseling.org or
  www.acait.com)
• Letter of Thank You (sent after the interview)

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Practicum Orientation

• Clinical Training Model Sequence
• All Students
• Steps
• 1) Complete all core counseling courses, then
  take the following in sequence
• 2) COUN 6000 Counseling Practicum (100 hours)
• 3) COUN 6500 (1)Internship (300 hours)
• 4) COUN 6500 (2) Internship (300 hours)
• If going on for mental health licensing
• 5) COUN 6500 (3) Internship (300 hours)

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Clinical Experience Flow Chart as of August 2007
(Florida)
All Counseling Students 48 Credit Hours No
Licensing Intended
COUN 6000 Practicum 100 Hours
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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• To meet CACREP criteria an on-site supervisor
  must have
• A minimum of a masters degree in counseling or a
  related profession with equivalent
  qualifications, including appropriate
  certifications and/or licenses (its best to
  select a supervisor who holds the degree which
  you are obtaining
• A minimum of two (2) years of pertinent
  professional experience in the program area in
  which the student is completing clinical
  instruction
• Knowledge of the programs expectations,
  requirement, and evaluation procedure for
  students.

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• To meet CACREP criteria a Practicum Site must
  have
• Settings for individual counseling with assured
  privacy and sufficient space for appropriate
  equipment (i.e. TV monitoring and taping)
• Settings for small-group work with assured
  privacy and sufficient space for appropriate
  equipment
• Necessary and appropriate technologies that
  assist learning, such as audio, video, and
  telecommunications equipment
• Settings with observational and/or other
  interactive supervision capabilities and
• Procedures that ensure that the clients
  confidentiality and legal rights are protected.

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• What happens during practicum?
• You and your site-supervisor will plan how you
  will acquire hours.
• Your site supervisor will provide feedback to you
  regarding your skills and abilities.
• You will have regular interaction with others at
  your site.
• You will respond to class assignments via your
  Webster Blackboard Classroom.

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• All Counseling Students must complete a
  supervised practicum experience that totals 700
  clock hours. The practicum provides for the
  development of counseling skills under
  supervision. The students practicum includes
  all of the following
• COUN 6000, Counseling Practicum (100 hours),
• COUN 6500 (1), Internship (300 hours), and
• COUN 6500 (2), Internship (300 hours)
• During each COUN 6000 (100 hours) the student
  needs
• 50 contact (face-to-face) hours with clients,
  including experience in individual and group
  work
• 1 hour per week individual supervision provided
  by on-site supervisor
• 1 ½ hours per week of group supervision (class
  work) by program faculty member
• The opportunity to become familiar with a variety
  of professional activities in addition to direct
  service to clients (i.e. record keeping,
  supervision, informational and referral,
  in-service training, and staff meetings).
• Formal evaluation of students performance by
  on-site supervisor after the student completes
  the practicum.

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Practicum OrientationWebster University

• During each COUN 6500 Internship (300 hours) the
  student needs
• 150 direct service contact (face-to-face) hours
  with clients appropriate to degree
• 1 hour per week interaction with on-site
  supervisor
• 1 ½ hours per week of group supervision (class
  work) provided by program faculty member
• The opportunity to become familiar with a variety
  of professional activities in addition to direct
  service to clients (i.e. record keeping,
  supervision, informational and referral,
  in-service training, and staff meetings)
• The opportunity to develop program-related
  audio/videos of students interactions with
  clients for use in supervision
• The opportunity for to gain supervised experience
  in the use of a variety of professional resources
  such as assessment instruments, technologies,
  print and non-print media, professional
  literature, and research and
• Formal evaluation of students performance by
  on-site supervisor after the student completes
  the practicum.
• Students seeking licensing as mental health
  counselors need to take an additional COUN 6500
  Internship (300) hours, totaling 1000 clinical
  hours. The Internship provides an opportunity for
  the student to perform, under supervision, a
  variety of counseling activities that a
  professional counselor is expected to perform.

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• How do I apply for practicum?
• Talk with Dr. Pimpinelli and obtain a Practicum
  Application Packet, 863-324-1380.
• Join the American Counseling Association (ACA) as
  a student member and purchase student practicum
  mal-practice insurance, www.counseling.org,
  www.acait.com
• 1-800-347-6647 ext. 284
• Read and understand requirements contained in the
  Practicum Application.
• Once you find a site, you and the site supervisor
  read through the practicum expectations sections
  and fill out Forms A, B, and C.
• Return the following items to Dr. Pimpinelli by
  the application deadline (Original copies only.
  FAXED or photocopied will not be accepted. Make
  sure you keep copies for your own files)
• Copy of Degree Audit showing that all core
  courses have been completed or are IP.
• Appendix A, Student Practicum/Internship,
  Application Form 1
• Student Acknowledgment, Form 1, p. 2
• Appendix B, Webster University Practicum
  Agreement, Form 2
• Webster University Request for Certificate of
  Insurance
• Cover Page for Proof of Mal-Practice Insurance
  (can be purchased through ACA)
• Once all paperwork is received and approved, you
  may register for the practicum.

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When Do I Apply for Practicum?

• PRACTICUM DEADLINES
• As stated in University publications, all
  practicum forms must be completed and approved by
  the Counseling Program Coordinator (Dr.
  Pimpinelli) at least one full term prior to the
  term in which the practicum will take place.
  Applications received after the deadline dates
  will be processed for the following academic
  term. Applications must be handed to Dr.
  Pimpinelli by appointment to ensure correct
  protocol. Appointments can be made by calling
  863-324-1380.
• Practicum Term Deadline
• Fall I
  July 1st
• Fall II Aug
  1st
• Spring I Oct
  1st
• Spring II Jan
  1st
• Summer Apr 1st

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• What should I look for in a practicum site?
• You should look for a variety of experiences and
  observations, examples
• Intake and assessment procedures
• Differential Diagnosis, psychosocial report
  writing and developing treatment plans
• Professional record keeping and progress notes
• Familiarity with policies procedures
• Administering, scoring, and interpreting
  psychodiagnostic tests
• Counseling experience with individuals, groups,
  couples, and families,
• Community consultation
• Other experiences that are specific to your
  specialization

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• During your practicum experience begin preparing
  yourself for graduation, certification, and post
  masters internship.

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Important Contact Information

• America Counseling Association (ACA)
• 5999 Stevenson Ave.
• Alexandria, VA 22304
• 1-800-347-6647
• http//www.counseling.org
• (For purposes of joining a professional
  organization as a student member and purchasing
  student mal-practice insurance. (All counseling
  students are required to carry insurance during
  their student tenure and practicum assignments.)
• __________________________________________________
  ____________________________
• Department of Education (DOE)
• Bureau of Teacher Certification
• Turlington Bldg. Room 201
• 325 West Gaines Street
• Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400
• 1-800-445-6739
• http//www.fldoe.org
• (For Guidance Certification Packet and Online
  Registration)
• __________________________________________________
  ___________________________
• Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage Family
  Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling
• 4052 Bald Cypress Way

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• All counseling students must meet with the
  Counseling Coordinator to arrange practicum
  sites
• All practica and internship students must show
  proof of student liability insurance (can be
  obtained through ACA)
• All university sponsored practica and
  internships must be approved by the Counseling
  Coordinator one term in advance
• Practica and internships must be at sites where
  the primary mission is to offer services to the
  public in the respective area (school guidance,
  must be in approved school settings and approved
  by the respective School Board in addition to the
  counseling coordinator, mental health practica
  must be in mental health settings, all
  site-supervisors must meet supervisory standards.
  Practica and internships are not
  interchangeable, i.e school guidance practica
  cannot be used for mental health or vise-a-versa.
• School Guidance Exam Contact http//www.fldoe.org
  /edcert/
• State Sponsored Post Masters Registered
  Internship (2 years experience, 1500 hours
  face-to-face with clients, 100 hours with
  supervisor).
• Contact http//www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/491/so
  c_applications.html

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THE END