Overview of Practicum Experience

Dr. Melonie Hill is a licensed psychologist and the founder of Behavioral Management Group, LLC (BMG). BMG has served as the mental health consultants for the childcare expansion centers and partners of the Fort Valley State University Head Start and Early Head Start programs. As the mental health consultants of the FVSU expansion centers, BMG will offer mental health services to the various childcare centers. As an approved practicum student for the BMG Early Childhood Mental Health training experience, the students will receive the following learning and exposure opportunities:

1. Students will receive an introductory training on early childhood development as well as receive training on the behavioral and emotional concerns that are often associated with this age group.
2. Students will receive an introductory training on early childhood assessment instruments that can be used to evaluate the developmental domains (cognitive, language, interpersonal, motor, behavior) of early childhood development.
3. Students will consult with center staff regarding the management of disruptive behaviors and/or emotional responses of students.
4. Student will assist in the development and facilitation of staff development trainings that will be offered during the school year. Two trainings will center on behavioral management strategies while the other two staff development events/training will center on wellness enhancement activities for the staff.
5. Students will help to facilitate group coaching sessions for teachers who are seeking to learn specific behavioral management techniques that can be implemented in the classroom.
6. Students will provide confidential, individual coaching sessions for teachers and/or administrators who desire to address personal concern in a more private setting.
7. Students will assist in gathering data and help to produce data analyses and report findings to pursue funding opportunities for early childhood mental health consultation.

Use the questions and answers below to evaluate the site to ensure all requirements are met and an understanding of the responsibilities of all individuals involved in supervision. Then, provide a brief summary based on the evaluation.

1. What are the practicum and internship (or final practicum) requirements for securing certification and/or licensure in the state or province where I intend to be employed?
   1. 600 practicum or internship hours will be required. The degree program must be CACREP accredited.
   2. Must have earned a master's degree in a program primarily counseling in content or in a program of applied psychology which degree includes a supervised practicum or internship of at least 300 hours which was part of the degree program.
   3. Must register with the Board an acceptable contract, the Directed Experience Under Supervision Contract, to obtain the post-master's experience required for licensure as a Professional Counselor.
2. What are the basic skills and content areas that are necessary to begin the practicum experience in my program?
   1. Practicum candidates are expected to practice basic counseling skills such as building rapport, attending, active listening, communicating unconditional positive regard, reflecting content and feelings, paraphrasing, clarifying through skilled use of questions, immediacy, appropriate self-disclosure, summarizing, facilitating group interactions, goal setting, and assessment of progress and goal attainment with actual students or clients.
3. What are the prerequisites for the practicum?
   1. Counseling Theories and Process
   2. Human Growth and Development
   3. Seminar in Professional Orientation and Ethics
   4. Graduate Orientation Course- Clinical Mental Health
   5. Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
   6. Clinical Mental Health Counseling
   7. Group Theory and Process
   8. Counseling Skills & Techniques
   9. Psychopathology
   10. Research Methods and Evaluation
   11. Career Lifestyle and Development
4. What number of credit hours are devoted to the practicum and internship (or final practicum)? Do practicum hours include class on campus?
   1. 100 total clock hours (40 direct hours, 60 indirect hours)
5. Will I be retained in practicum until minimal competencies are demonstrated?
   1. Yes
   2. An "In Progress" (IP) will be given to students who have not submitted all required items or finished the required hours. If you have not finished the required hours, you will likely have to retake practicum for another semester. You cannot start Internship I without completing practicum.
6. How will I be expected to demonstrate identified competencies, and how are they to be evaluated?
   1. Students are encouraged to engage in ongoing professional development activities related to the establishment of proficiencies in clinical mental health counseling and the development of professional counselor identities during the practicum experience.
   2. Evaluation of proficiencies in counseling skills and performance are documented for the duration of the field experience.
7. How much time will be spent in direct service with individual clients? With groups? With other professional activities?
   1. 40 direct clock hours
   2. 60 hours of practicum time should be spent learning more about the profession of
   3. counseling through involvement in the site and site personnel
   4. 5 group counseling hours
8. What is the role of the faculty supervisor in the field site experience?
   1. The faculty supervisor has the responsibility of coordinating activities that facilitate the integration of classroom and field learning-teaching experiences. He/she assists the agency site supervisor and the student in whatever manner deemed appropriate to make the field instruction arrangement the most fruitful venture possible.
9. What is my responsibility for site placement?
   1. Obtain liability insurance
   2. Must have all required signatures for the application package and submit it to the faculty supervisor.
   3. Site must be approved by advisors
10. What are the guidelines and procedures for practicum and internship placement?
    1. Confidentiality.
    2. Recognition of Qualifications and Limitations
    3. Identification as Interns
    4. Record Keeping
    5. Dual Relationships
    6. Prohibition Regarding Sexual Conduct or Harassment.
11. What field site placements are recommended and available? Is there a list of approved field sites? If I want to go to a previously unknown field site, how do I know if they have an approved supervisor?
    1. Community Mental Health Centers
    2. Community Counseling Centers
    3. Youth Services Agencies
    4. Hospital Out-Patient Clinics
    5. Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facilities
    6. Family Services Agencies
    7. Residential Treatment Programs
    8. Correctional Facilities
    9. Human Services Centers
    10. Go to the official professional licensing website and lookup the site supervisor's license number and type.
12. How does the site supervisor communicate with the university training program?
    1. Through email
13. Who are the other students in my practicum group? How many? Will we have the same counseling specializations?
    1. Sheruneda Carrenan and Keiana Hamilton
    2. 2
    3. Yes
14. Who gives me a grade and recommends that I have met the expected standards to finish practicum requirements?
    1. The faculty supervisor/instructor will grade the student's performance at the conclusion of each field experience period. The site supervisor's evaluation will serve as a factor in the grade.