School Psychology Internship Guide

Transcription

1 School Psychology Internship Guide University of Houston-Victoria School Psychology Program Director: Dr. Elise Hendricker UHV School of Arts & Sciences 3007 North Ben Wilson, Victoria, TX 77901

2 Introduction The School Psychology department would like to begin by congratulate you on attaining an LSSP internship! We are confident that you will do an exuberant job and represent the UHV School Psychology program well. In order to make sure that you have all that you need to ensure that you feel confident and competent in your intern experience the School Psychology department has put together this internship guide. The purpose of this guide is not to provide all the answers, but to provide a brief orientation to each aspect of internship. This guide was also meant to help calm your nerves about internship. The advice and statements are tricks of the trade that may be encountered as a practitioner working in the schools. Enclosed in this guide are also the forms and documents you will need to successfully complete the internship process. We hope this survival guide provides you with helpful insight into the excitement of an internship in the school internship venture. Thank you and please enjoy.

3 Being an LSSP Intern What to Expect Welcome to the exciting life of being an LSSP intern! As an LSSP intern, your duties and responsibilities are dependent upon your site supervisor, but may include the following: (1) individual or group counseling, (2) psychological and psycho-educational assessment, (3) consultation with school personnel and with parents, (4) IEP and BIP development special topic presentations, (5) conducting functional behavioral assessments (FBA), (6) Participation in Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) for special education consideration, (7) Assistance in crisis intervention and, (8) Any other duties specified by your site supervisor. Depending on your site you may be assigned several schools, one specific school, or float throughout your district. Having a specific office to yourself is somewhat of a luxury and not necessarily the norm. You may have a centralized office in the special education department or an office at a school. Many times, when managing multiple campuses, you may have to be creative in your testing location, depending on what is available at the campus (e.g., small closets can easily opt as a testing space). Either way, be cordial and thankful for the campus support. The internship generally tracks the requirements of the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (TSBEP) for becoming a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (LSSP) and the requirements of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) for becoming a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). Get in the Game: Know your Staff Be proactive with getting to know your campus administration. Be sure to introduce yourself to your campus principal and Assistant principals. It s equally important to introduce yourself to teachers and school staff. It may be helpful to compose an introduction letter indicating who you are and what you do as an LSSP intern (with the approval of your site supervisor). The first week typically entails meeting school administration, setting up your office, attending support staff trainings, and meeting your students at your campus. It s usually a good idea if you have a counseling caseload to meet with your students individually once you receive your campus client roster. Documentation, Documentation, Documentation. Client Documentation Documentation is essential for an LSSP. It s a great idea to create a working file for each student on your roster. It is helpful to also identify on the front of the folder what special education services each student has. A Squibby grade book is good means of maintaining track of direct contact made with students receiving counseling as a related service, and the duration of time services were provided.

4 Be sure to write case notes relative to the given IEP goals worked on with each student and maintain it in the students working files. **Evaluation and report timelines are imperative, so be sure to get the dates of consent to determine accurate timelines for completion of evaluations and arrangement of ARD meetings. Internship Logs Please be sure to maintain weekly documentation of your activities and hours on the forms provided on the course site. Log sheets may be downloaded and copied from the course site. Interns should be prepared to review your logs with your site supervisor periodically and to document your time for later LSSP licensure. Intern Requirements Interns are required to obtain 1200 clock hours of assigned work ordinarily to be completed in not less than two semesters, 4 to 5 days per week. The beginning and ending dates of the internship and the intern s working schedule are to be agreed upon by the student, onsite supervisor, and coordinator, but ordinarily encompass one school year. This length of time ensures sufficient time to benefit from errors and practice, time for supervising relationships to develop and become productive, and to become involved with and knowledgeable about the placement site as an organization. For students to graduate successfully in May, 1200 hours must be completed and documented by the end of the UHV Spring Semester so that a final grade can be awarded. If 1200 hours are not completed by the end of the Spring Semester, the student will be awarded an Incomplete and will not be allowed to graduate until the end of the Summer Semester, which delay the licensure process. Throughout the internship the channels of communication shall remain open between the university, site, and the student, as the university must remained concerned with not only the student s well-being, but with that of the site and its clients, and with the university itself. Memorandum of Agreement for Internship: Prior to beginning the school psychology internship A Memorandum of Agreement for Internship must be signed by the student, the school site LSSP supervisor, and the University of Houston-Victoria school internship coordinator. Credentials: According to the Texas Psychologists licensing law, section 22, students are exempt from TSBEP credentials or contract filing but must use a title indicating straining status as specialist in School Psychology Intern while delivering psychological services in the schools.

5 Supervision: The primary supervisor for the school psychology internship must be licensed as an LSSP in the state of Texas with 3 years of experience and must also be an employee of the school district in which the student is placed. A minimum of 2 hours supervision is required per week (one hour individual supervision with the primary supervisor, plus an additional hour which can be group or individual supervision) and can be delegated to on-site personnel with competency in the area being supervised as long as primary supervisor has oversight. Internship Coordinator: The university school psychology internship coordinator may make on-site visits to monitor student performance and quality of opportunities that are provided to the intern on behalf of the school district. The university school psychology internship coordinator is not an employee of the internship agency and therefore will not directly supervise student cases. The coordinator is available for support via phone and . School Psychology Colloquium Series: The UHV School Psychology program has employed monthly colloquia to foster professional development and provide interns with a platform to discuss topics of general interest with fellow students and faculty of psychology. Interns are required to attend each monthly colloquium. Dates will be provided at the start of each semester. NASP Domains of Practice Portfolio: In accordance with the NASP Domains of Practice, each intern will complete a competencybased portfolio to highlight how their internship experiences and other coursework has fulfilled each competency outlined by NASP as necessary for the success of school psychology training. Students will complete these portfolios throughout the internship year with the assistance of the university-based supervisor. Throughout the internship year, it is the student s responsibility to monitor their progress on their portfolio and seek out needed opportunities to complete the portfolio requirements. The completion of the portfolio will assist students in applying for the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential immediately upon graduation. Professional Liability Insurance: Students must obtain professional liability insurance and show proof of insurance to the universitybased supervisor prior to beginning their school psychology internship. Internship Hours: All internship hours are on-site in the school district. Trainings and in-services used for hours must be approved by the university-based supervisor. Weekly class meetings with the university-based supervisor can also be counted towards the hours requirement. Logs: Students must submit a typed log of activities performed during their 1200 hours of internship. The log must be signed by their LSSP supervisor in the school district and will be turned in at specific checkpoints throughout the year. The university-based supervisor will monitor hour completion and the quality and breadth of experiences obtained by the intern.

6 Registration: School Psychology students must register for the school psychology internship (PSYC 6305) 2 consecutive semesters (once in the Fall semester and once in the Spring semester) for the 6 semester credit hours of internship required for graduation. Grades: Grades are assigned by the university school internship coordinator upon recommendation of the on-site primary LSSP supervisor. Grades for the school psychology internship classes will be assigned when the 1200 hours of internship and all other requirements as outlined by the course syllabus are completed. All requirements should be completed in May at the conclusion of the UHV Spring Semester. Students who do not complete requirements by this timeline will receive an Incomplete until all requirements are complete, which will delay graduation and subsequent licensure. Professional Behavior: Students will adhere to school district policies with respect to dress code, procedures, working hours, etc., Students are bound by the APA Ethics Code and relevant Texas laws governing the practice of psychology (particularly with respect to maintaining confidentiality in client manners).

7 Below is a list of suggested activities for the internship experience. The site supervisor and the intern will come to an agreement regarding the amount of cases and activities that are needed to fulfill the hours requirement, internship goals and NASP Domains of Practice competency-based portfolio for the year. Activity Minimum Assessment (conducting all phases including writing reports) o ED (including 2 initial evaluations) 6 o LD (including 2 initial evaluations) 6 o MR 2 o PDD/Autism 4 o Early Childhood (any diagnosis) 1 o Participation in ARDs on above 10 Intervention (conducting and including IEP and progress notes) o Counseling groups including educational groups o Individual counseling cases per semester o Crisis Intervention Consultation o Formal teacher consultations 4 o Parent consultations 2 o BIP s 2 o FBA s 2 o Conducting in-service 1 Training o Attendance at training program/in-service 5 o Conducting a school-based in-service/presentation 1 Supervision o Hours per week 2 Number alone with primary supervisor

8 Tips for Success First, while you have taken substantial courses in the school psychology program, please listen to your site supervisor and your administrators-they know the district protocol, so be wise and use their expertise to learn. Most importantly, do not be afraid to ask them for help if you are at a loss for what to do. In unexpected situations, remember to stay calm. School staff may panic in unexpected situations, but remain calm. If you are calm, they will be calm and more confident of your abilities. Second, your site values you enough to entrust you with their family of students. Hence, as a part of your campus team, take ownership of your clients. Get to know your students and think about what is best suitable for them as individuals. Be a team player, as you work with your school personnel to best serve your students, by appreciating the knowledge that your school staff brings to the table. Communication is key, which means both listening and explaining your plans to others. Finally, be confident. You have made it to this point and you are exceptionally bright. You were made for this journey and you will do an excellent job! Be confident but not arrogant. Many times school personnel can be reluctant to listen to an intern that presents unsure of him/herself and appears timid in their decision-making. Learning to strike a balance between these two will be one of the most important lessons you will learn this year. One of the most important things about your internship in the schools is that you are part of a team. You are now an LSSP intern and you have an important role to fill. During this process, expect to receive feedback on your performance from your site supervisor, your administration, and from teachers whom with you work. So now that you are fully an intern, relax and approach internship with a team attitude. Take care of your clients, but reach out to your administrators and teachers as a resource. More Practical Advice o Efficiency. One of the hardest and most important aspects of internship is learning how to become an efficient LSSP Intern. The key to efficiency is organization. Maintain organization of your working files, protocols, and district documentation by creating alphabetized file folders. It is also very helpful to have a travel file bag or box with protocols, blank IEP & BIP forms, etc. o Make a to-do list each day. When completing evaluations, keep a running to do list of what is needed for each client as you begin your psychological evaluations, as you may have multiple evaluations at one time. o Plan ahead. Determine weekly based on meeting with your site supervisor, what you will work on for each day. It s important discuss your plans with your site supervisor for feedback and to stay on track relative to timelines. After completing evaluations, it s usually helpful to

9 be proactive in meeting with the parent to explain your results prior to the ARD meeting (check with your site supervisor to get approval). o Be Prepared. Review the student s file before attending an ARD meeting, as you may be asked questions about the student, or your thoughts on the student s needs. It is also helpful to make copies of most recent reports and most recent ARD minutes and place it in a working file for the ARD, in order to have on-hand information about the student. Also, after completing evaluations, be sure to bring to ARD meetings a copy for parents in a pocket or file folder, accompanied by a supportive disability handout if the child meets an area of eligibility. Be sure to also make a copy of your BIP, and IEPs. You can never have too much preparation! GOOD LUCK!!

10 National Association of School Psychologists Best Practice Guidelines for School Psychology Internships Endorsed by the NASP Delegate Assembly February 28, 2009 The mission of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) is to represent school psychology and support school psychologists to enhance the learning and mental health of all children and youth. NASP s mission is accomplished through promotion of professional competence; recognition of the essential components of high-quality graduate education and professional development; preparation of school psychologists to deliver a continuum of services to children, youth, families, and schools; identification of professional practices that are empirically-based. An important part of that mission is the development and implementation of standards and best practice guidelines for the practice of school psychology and the preparation of school psychologists. NASP Standards for Training and Field Placement Programs in School Psychology promote quality graduate level preparation of school psychologists. Those standards state, School psychology candidates have the opportunities to demonstrate, under conditions of appropriate supervision, their ability to apply their knowledge, to develop specific skills needed for effective school psychological service delivery, and to integrate competencies that address the domains of professional preparation and practice outlined in these standards and the goals and objectives of their training program. (NASP, 2000). A critical aspect of school psychology preparation is the completion of a comprehensive, professional practice internship under conditions of appropriate support and supervision. This document reiterates the standards for school psychology internships and provides best practice guidelines consistent with expectations for the profession and national standards of quality. Such best practice guidelines are intended to: Promote quality preparation of school psychologists and service provision to children, youth, and families Foster the internship as an educational experience involving collaboration between university training programs and internship sites Encourage greater consistency in opportunities and support across internship sites I. Principles, Conceptualization, and Management of the Internship 1.1 The internship is conceptualized as a culminating training experience* in which the primary focus is on providing breadth and quality of training to the intern. 1.2 The site, preparing university program, and intern adhere to NASP Principles of Professional Practice/Ethics 1.3 The internship site, university program, and intern have a written agreement* that includes: a clear statement of the expectations and responsibilities of each party (including total hours and duties to be performed by the intern); benefits and support to be provided by the internship site; and the process by which interns are to be supervised and evaluated.

11 1.4 If the site solicits direct applications from prospective interns, it provides information about the site and the internship application and selection process. It notifies applicants whether or not they have been selected in a timely manner. 1.5 The site uses a title, such as school psychology intern, that designates the training status of the intern. Psychological reports or similar professional reports to consumers, other professionals, or other audiences must be signed by the credentialed intern supervisor. 1.6 In states in which provisional certification or an intern certificate is required for internship, the site makes the training program and intern aware of such requirements and assists the preparing program and intern as necessary in applying for or securing such credential. II. Depth, Breadth, and Focus of the Internship 2.1 The internship for specialist level interns includes at least 1200 hours, and the internship for doctoral interns includes at least 1500 hours completed on a full-time basis over one academic year or on a half-time basis over two years.* 2.2 At least 600 hours of the internship occur in a school setting as defined in NASP standards.* Non school settings that serve children, youth, and families may serve as appropriate internship sites as long as the intern has already completed or has the opportunity to complete at least 600 hours of supervised experience in a school setting, 2.3 The internship site provides opportunities for a range of school psychological services consistent with NASP Domains of School Psychology Training and Practice,* including varying types of assessment linked to intervention for academic, behavioral, and social/emotional issues; consultation; behavior analysis and intervention; counseling; prevention at varying levels; research and program evaluation; and other activities consistent with NASP standards and deemed appropriate by the field site and university program. In order to ensure breadth of training, activities in no single major function predominates the intern s time. 2.4 Most of the intern s time is spent providing direct and indirect psychological services to children, youth, and/or families. 2.5 The internship site endeavors to provide opportunities to work with children and adolescents of varying ages, ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and with varying abilities and disabilities, characteristics and needs. 2.6 In assigning duties to the intern, the internship site recognizes and supports the internship as an educational experience. A student-to-intern ratio that is less than NASP guidelines for credentialed, full-time school psychologists (1:1000) is expected, with the actual assignments based on such factors as the needs of students to be served, the intern s expertise and prior experience, and the intensity of intern supervision and support. III. Supervision, Mentoring, and Collaboration 3.1 Professional field supervision of each intern is provided by a credentialed school psychologist or, in a non-school setting, by a psychologist credentialed for that setting.* Field supervision may be shared with other appropriately credentialed personnel in the unit, but the credentialed school psychologist or psychologist provides the preponderance of direct supervision and assumes full responsibility for the supervision provided. NASP Recognized Internships Proposal The intern field supervisor has at least three years of full-time experience as a

12 credentialed school psychologist or psychologist and is employed as a regular employee or consultant by the district or agency. 3.3 Unless supervisors have been assigned a significant portion of their time to devote to supervising interns, each supervisor is assigned to no more than two interns at any one time.* Intern supervision is taken into account when determining supervisor workload. 3.4 The internship includes an average of at least two hours of supervision per full-time week. The preponderance of field supervision is provided on at least a weekly, individual, face-to- face basis, with structured mentoring and evaluation that focus on development of the intern s competencies * Supervision time may be adjusted proportionately for less than a full-time week or schedule. 3.5 The university program assigns to each intern a faculty supervisor* with training in school psychology who maintains regular communication with the intern and field supervisor. Such communication may occur through faculty supervisor visits to the internship site (if geographically feasible), telephone or conference calls, s, and other means. 3.6 Interns have the opportunity to develop an affiliation with colleagues and the field* through regularly scheduled training activities with: a) other interns at the site; b) interns at other sites in the immediate area; and/or c) school psychologists at the site and/or in the immediate area. 3.7 The preparing program provides field supervisors with information and support for supervision as well as documentation needed to verify supervision activities for such purposes as continuing professional development. IV. Intern Evaluation, Feedback, and Support 4.1 The intern field supervisor provides the intern and university program informal and formal evaluations (with associated criteria or rubrics) of the intern s performance * at least once each semester and offers suggestions for improvement as necessary. 4.2 The internship site in collaboration with the university program has a process for addressing possible serious concerns regarding an intern s performance that protects the rights of clients to receive quality services, assures adequate feedback and opportunities for improvement to the intern, and provides due process protection in cases of possible termination of the internship. 4.3 The internship site provides office supplies, materials, travel reimbursement, and other support similar to that provided to school psychologists in the district/agency.* Sites are strongly encouraged to provide interns a stipend that recognizes their graduate level of training and the value of services they provide. 4.4 The internship site affords interns opportunities for continuing professional development comparable to those provided to school psychologists in the district/agency. 4.5 Upon conclusion of the internship, the supervisor verifies both the completion of required internship hours and activities and the quality of intern performance. Notes: If multiple internship sites exist within the district or agency, the district or agency assures that all sites and internships adhere to NASP standards and internship guidelines. An asterisk (*) signifies the existence of a corresponding NASP training standard (the 2000 standards served as the initial base). Modifications will be need if the corresponding standards are revised. If multiple internship sites exist within the district or agency, the district or agency assures that all sites and internships adhere to NASP standards and internship guidelines.

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28 SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY INTERNSHIP LOG FORM INTERN NAME PAGE # of SEMESTER/YEAR SITE SUPERVISOR INTERNSHIP SITE Date Location Activity Code Hours Supervisor Signature Total hours Supervisor's verifying signature Intern s verifying signature

29 SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAM CODE ACTIVITIES As Assessment Related Activities (NASP 2.1). Activities having as a primary focus the gathering of information to answer specific referral questions for both regular and / or special education. These may include but are not limited to administration and scoring of formal and informal tests, report writing, behavioral observations, review of cumulative records, interviews with parents, staff, agencies, teachers, and data analysis and integration. DInt Direct Intervention (NASP 2.4, 2.7). Activities of a non-assessment nature which have the focus of affecting change. These may include but are not limited to group counseling or therapy, individual counseling or therapy, remediation of learning difficulties, direct instruction (social skills affective education, etc.) or feedback to student. CC Consultation and Collaboration (NASP 2.2). Consultation and collaboration with teachers and other school personnel on an individual or group basis, participation in team meetings (pre-referral, instructional, ARD committee, etc.), and system-level consultation efforts. HSC Home/School Community Collaboration (NASP 2.8). Work with parents and families for assessment, consultation, intervention, etc. May also include parent training. PII Prevention and Indirect Intervention (NASP 2.3, 2.7). Activities of a non-assessment nature including but not limited to primary prevention activities (e.g., prevention of bullying, suicide, substance abuse, etc.). development of intervention strategies, presentation at staff development in-services, meetings, and other prevention/intervention activities. SSO School System Orientation (NASP 2.6). Non-assessment and non-intervention observation related to the orientation to the regular and special education school environment, including orientation meetings, introductions, observation of classrooms and programs. PD Professional Development (NASP 2.10, 2.11). Specific activities which focus on the development of professional skills, including but not limited to attendance at local, state, national conferences, in-services, professional reading, etc. Note. The number of PD hours that can be applied to the total is limited and must be negotiated with the university supervisor. USup University Supervision (NASP 3.1). Supervision provided by an appropriately credentialed psychologist acting as the university program representative. A minimum of one site visit is required. However, regular communication and meetings are expected and should be documented. FSup Field Supervision (NASP 3.1). Formal supervision provided by an appropriately credentialed professional, e.g. Licensed Specialist in School Psychology, Nationally Certified School Psychologist. The field supervisor s signature is required on the log to verify the other activities performed and listed.

30 NASP Practice Model: Domains of Practice Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery Domain 1: Data-Based Decision Making and Accountability School psychologists have knowledge of varied models and methods of assessment and data collection for identifying strengths and needs, developing effective services and programs, and measuring progress and outcomes. Domain 2: Consultation and Collaboration School psychologists have knowledge of varied models and strategies of consultation, collaboration, and communication applicable to individuals, families, groups, and systems and methods to promote effective implementation of services. Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families, and Schools Student-Level Services Domain 3: Interventions and Instructional Support to Develop Academic Skills School psychologists have knowledge of biological, cultural, and social influences on academic skills; human learning, cognitive, and developmental processes; and evidence-based curricula and instructional strategies. Domain 4: Interventions and Mental Health Services to Develop Social and Life Skills School psychologists have knowledge of biological, cultural, developmental, and social influences on behavior and mental health, behavioral and emotional impacts on learning and life skills, and evidence-based strategies to promote social emotional functioning and mental health. Systems-Level Services Domain 5: School-Wide Practices to Promote Learning School psychologists have knowledge of school and systems structure, organization, and theory; general and special education; technology resources; and evidence-based school practices that promote learning and mental health. Domain 6: Preventive and Responsive Services School psychologists have knowledge of principles and research related to resilience and risk factors in learning and mental health, services in schools and communities to support multitiered prevention, and evidence-based strategies for effective crisis response. Domain 7: Family School Collaboration Services School psychologists have knowledge of principles and research related to family systems, strengths, needs, and culture; evidence-based strategies to support family influences on children s learning and mental health; and strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools. Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery Domain 8: Diversity in Development and Learning School psychologists have knowledge of individual differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse student characteristics; principles and research related to diversity factors for children, families, and schools, including factors related to culture, context, and individual and role difference; and evidence-based strategies to enhance services and address potential influences related to diversity.

31 Domain 9: Research and Program Evaluation School psychologists have knowledge of research design, statistics, measurement, varied data collection and analysis techniques, and program evaluation sufficient for understanding research and interpreting data in applied settings. Domain 10: Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice School psychologists have knowledge of the history and foundations of school psychology; multiple service models and methods; ethical, legal, and professional standards; and other factors related to professional identity and effective practice as school psychologists.