Department of Human Services Manual for Field Supervisors Updated Spring 2015
Table of Contents What Field Supervisors Need to Know about Supervising Students... 3 Contact information for the Field Coordinator:... 3 Criteria for the field supervisor... 3 Prerequisite Courses... 3 Agency and Field Supervisor Responsibilities... 4 Number of hours in placement... 4 Elements of a Successful Student Placement... 4 Communication and Training:... 4 Field Placement Seminar:... 5 Developing a learning contract:... 5 Appropriate Learning Activities:... 5 Students MAY NOT:... 5 Students ARE ENCOURAGED TO:... 6 Effective use of supervision:... 6 Evaluation:... 6 Site Visits:... 7 Professional and Ethical Standards... 7 Human Services Student Review Committee... 7 Removal from a placement setting:... 8 Grievances:... 8 Insurance... 8 Worker s Compensation:... 8 Liability Insurance:... 9 Students Seeking State Certification... 9 Work-Study Funds To Pay Students... 9 2
What Field Supervisors Need to Know about Supervising Students Thank you for agreeing to serve as a field supervisor for a student doing a Practicum or Professional Internship to fulfill requirements for a major in Human Services at Metropolitan State University of Denver. The field experience is vital to the learning process for Human Service students and the field supervisor plays a central role in the student s educational growth and development. We appreciate your willingness to mentor students as well as offer your expertise and guidance. If you have any questions or concerns about field placement, please contact the student s seminar instructor or the MSU Denver Human Services Field Coordinator. Contact information for the Field Coordinator: Annie Miller Amille145@msudenver.edu (email is the most effective way to reach Annie) 303-556-4433 Criteria for the field supervisor The field supervisor must have a master s degree in Human Services, Social Work, Counseling, Behavioral or Social Sciences or a related field. An exception to this requirement may be made if the supervisor has the appropriate professional experience and expertise to create a positive learning environment for the student. Students must ask the field coordinator for an exception to the master s degree requirement. In addition, the supervisor must have the time and make the commitment to complete all the necessary paperwork and provide training, weekly supervision, support for developing a learning contract, and evaluation for the student. Students who are seeking hours towards the Certified Addictions Counselor (CAC) Level I must be supervised by an individual with a CAC III or Licensed Addictions Counselor (LAC) in order for those hours to count toward certification. Students who are seeking state approval to work with domestic violence offenders must be supervised by a state approved Domestic Violence Clinical Supervisor. Prerequisite Courses Students are required to have completed the following courses prior to doing a Practicum. Students in Internship are typically in their final semester of their undergraduate degree so will have completed a number of additional courses related to the field and one of our concentration areas: Addiction Studies, Domestic Violence Counseling, High Risk Youth, Mental Health Counseling, or Nonprofit Studies. HSP 1010, Introduction to Human Services and Community Resources HSP 2020, Small Group Dynamics HSP 2030, Theory and Practice of Counseling HSP 2330, Ethical and Legal Issues in Human Services HSP 2070, Pre-field Seminar 3
Agency and Field Supervisor Responsibilities If an agency agrees to serve as a placement site, the field supervisor needs to be aware of the responsibilities involved in offering an effective learning environment for the student. The following is a list of responsibilities that the field supervisor, in conjunction with agency staff, must be willing to provide for the student: An orientation to the agency; Appropriate training and access to information about policies and procedures; Access to other written materials to support student learning and effectiveness; A collaborative process with the student to develop the learning contract; One hour of weekly supervision either in a one-on-one or group setting; Ongoing feedback and a final evaluation; Adequate work space and supplies. The field supervisor must also: Fill out all paperwork required by department in a timely fashion; Facilitate student participation in appropriate learning activities; Answer questions and provide guidance to support student success; Participate in one or two site visits with the student and seminar instructor; Contact the seminar instructor with any questions or concerns during the placement; Report any problems or concerns to the seminar instructor immediately. Supervision hours: Students are required to participate in a minimum of one hour per week of individual or small group supervision. CAC certification requires that group supervision includes no more than six individuals. Students must have some one-on-one supervision time with the field supervisor during the placement to develop the learning contract and for evaluation. Affiliation Agreements: Many agencies often seek formal, contractual arrangements in order to host interns. As such, the MSU Denver College of Professional Studies has a standard Affiliation Agreement that can be easily completed by the agency and the Human Services Field Coordinator. If you would like to complete that document for clarity or legal purposes, please do not hesitate to let the Field Coordinator know. Number of hours in placement Students in Practicum are required to complete a total of 300 hours of field service in one semester which is equivalent to 20 hours per week for 15 weeks. Students in Addictions Studies or Domestic Violence concentration areas are required to complete a second practicum with the same number of hours. Students in Professional Internship are required to complete a total of 450 hours of field service in one semester which is equivalent to 30 hours per week for 15 weeks. Elements of a Successful Student Placement Communication and Training: The most important aspect of a successful placement is open communication between 4
the student and the field supervisor; the student and the seminar instructor; and the field supervisor and the seminar instructor. Please spend time with the student at the beginning of the placement clarifying expectations, reviewing policies and procedures, answering questions, providing guidance, offering training, and establishing a plan for student learning in the form of a learning contract. Field Placement Seminar: In addition to the hours worked at the field placement site, students will be participating in a seminar course throughout the semester. Attendance at the seminar is mandatory. Please allow students flexibility in scheduling their work hours to attend the seminar class. Developing a learning contract: In order to make the most effective use of the field placement experience, students are required to develop a learning contract that defines learning goals and establishes learning activities that support the goals. The learning contract should be developed in collaboration with the field supervisor and the field supervisor must sign the final copy to show support for the goals and learning activities. The seminar instructor is also involved in final approval of the learning contract. Students will learn about the process of developing a learning contract in the Pre-Field Seminar. The learning contract provides an opportunity for the field supervisor and student to clarify learning needs and agency expectations. Appropriate Learning Activities: Given that MSU Denver students are undergraduates, they are not trained to perform some duties that might be expected of a graduate student in a field placement. Students who are in practicums/internships should also be made aware of liability risks and safety procedures to limit risk. The following is a list of activities that may not be performed by a MSU Denver Human Services student in field placement. An exception can be made for students who are paid employees of an agency who are performing the activity as a part of the normal work expectation for that employee and who have received training that supports safety for the student, staff, and clients. Students MAY NOT: Drive clients; Provide individual psychotherapy for a client; Lead psychotherapy groups without a qualified therapist present; Open or close an agency by themselves; Restrain clients without proper training and supervision; Be left in charge of the agency without a qualified supervisor present; Have a case load of clients for which the student has sole responsibility an exception can be made for students with previous employment experience working with the client population and/or with the seminar instructor s approval. 5
Students ARE ENCOURAGED TO: Shadow professionals in one-on-one sessions with clients and in groups; Co-facilitate groups with a qualified professional staff member; Facilitate educational groups with supervision from a professional staff member; Participate in staff meetings and training opportunities; Conduct intakes after proper training; Write chart notes and complete other agency documentation after proper training; Assist in grant-writing, fund-raising, event planning and other agency activities; Input client documentation and other data into computer systems. The field supervisor is responsible for facilitating student involvement in appropriate learning activities and experiences, as well as providing training to support student success. A helpful process to follow in supporting student success is to: 1) Offer an initial orientation and training for different agency tasks; 2) Allow the student to shadow professional agency staff performing the tasks; 3) Have the student co-facilitate the process with a professional staff member; 4) Have the student facilitate the process with supervision. The field supervisor is responsible for determining student readiness for different tasks and responsibilities at the agency. Some students may have lots of experience in the field prior to their practicum and internship and others may have limited experience. Effective use of supervision: The student s relationship with the field supervisor is central to the learning experience. To make effective use of supervision time and experience, the Department of Human Services at MSU Denver encourages students to be active participants in the process. Supervision meetings offer an opportunity to clarify policies and procedures, give feedback on performance, and provide guidance relating to specific situations and clients. It also offers a time to plan for activities and projects. Field supervisors are encouraged to ask students to prepare for supervision meetings. Field supervisors are welcome to give students specific reading to discuss at the meetings. Evaluation: Students in both practicum and internship will need you to complete a mid-term review form and a final, electronic evaluation of their performance. Generally we ask that you evaluate students on our field competencies. Those competencies are included as Appendix A in this manual. Since students also seek your consultation in creating learning contracts, we ask that you encourage them to craft goals in line with the field competencies on which they will be evaluated. At the end of the placement, the field supervisor will do an in-depth evaluation of student performance using the Field Competency Survey. Set a specific time to meet with the student to discuss the evaluation. Students will do their own version of the document and will need to compare their self-evaluations to your evaluations as their supervisor. We ask that you provide as much specific and detailed information as possible since each student will be writing a final paper detailing these evaluations. 6
Site Visits: The seminar instructor will make a visit to the field placement site at some point during the semester. The site visit meeting should include the field supervisor and the student. Other appropriate agency staff are welcome to participate. The site visit offers an opportunity for direct verbal feedback from the field supervisor on the overall field placement experience, as well as student performance. The field supervisor may request an additional site visit if there are concerns with student performance or behavior or for other reasons. Speak with the seminar instructor to discuss this option. Agency Project for Internship Students: Students in the internship class are sometimes expected to develop a project that supports the mission of the placement agency as well as student learning goals. Students will be given details about the types of projects that are appropriate in the seminar class. The field supervisor should work with the intern to define and approve a project that is appropriate for the agency and the student. Professional and Ethical Standards Students are expected to maintain the standards of the Human Services profession defined in the Ethical Standards of Human Services Professionals developed by the National Organization for Human Services (http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/). Students are expected to follow the policies and procedures defined by the field placement agency or organization. Please provide access to agency policies and procedures at the beginning of the field placement experience to the student. It is helpful to review agency policies and procedures during supervision with the student to be sure the student understands agency expectations. Students are expected to be aware of and follow the guidelines in the Colorado Mental Health Statutes. The full statement can be found at http://www.dora.state.co.us/mental-health/statute. Students are expected to behave in a professional manner and dress in appropriate attire for the type of placement. Please inform students about expectations concerning behavior and attire. If there is a concern regarding a student s performance or behavior, please keep the seminar instructor informed about the concern. It is helpful to discuss protocol with the student about issues such as who the student should contact if s/he is ill and unable to make it to the placement site during regularly scheduled hours. Clear communication and guidance from the field supervisor about policies, procedures, and protocol will assist students to be successful in the placement. Human Services Student Review Committee Students are expected to conduct themselves professionally in the classroom, in interactions with other students, staff, faculty, and in their field placements. The Human Services Student Review Committee will document and address any student behavior that is in conflict with professional expectations. The process is designed to 7
assist students to become aware of and change any unacceptable behaviors, come in line with professional standards, and determine student appropriateness for field. The Committee is made up of department faculty and may be involved in issues that occur in the placement setting if the field supervisor and seminar instructor make a request for the Review Committee to meet with the student. We ask that you immediately report any and all unprofessional behaviors by a student at the site to both the field coordinator and the student s seminar instructor. We are deeply committed to ensuring students are ready to serve as helping professionals and this commitment requires your support! Removal from a placement setting: Any student whose performance is evaluated as unsafe, substandard or professionally inappropriate by the seminar instructor, in consultation with the field coordinator or the field supervisor, may be removed from the placement setting and potentially the practicum/internship class. Additional sanctions may be sought through the MSU Denver Student Judicial Process for any violation of the Student Code of Conduct. For details, see the Student Judicial website at http://www.msudenver.edu/~judicial. In order to avoid a situation that may call for a student s removal from a placement site, field supervisors are strongly encouraged to deal with concerns in supervision meetings with the student and to contact the seminar instructor to discuss the concern as quickly as possible. Early intervention is crucial to student success. Grievances: Grievances may be filed with an individual s professional organization, with an accrediting agency, or with the state agency responsible for regulating the profession such as the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Undergraduate students are not required to be registered with DORA unless the student already has a CAC certification. An agency client still has the right to file a grievance against a student through DORA even if the student is not registered with DORA. Insurance Worker s Compensation: Students who are in an unpaid practicum/internship are covered for medical expenses for injury on the job by the MSU Denver worker s compensation plan. Information about Metro s worker s compensation policies and procedures, including a list of providers, locations, and hours, will be provided to the students. The same information can be found online at http://www.msudenver.edu/facstaff/hr under the Safety link. Students in an unpaid placement must use a Metro approved provider for medical treatment in cases of on-the-job injury. The student must inform the field supervisor, seminar instructor, and Human Resources (303-556-3120) about the injury within 24 hours. The field supervisor may be involved in completing a form to verify the injury. Students who are paid employees should be covered by the placement agency s worker s compensation plan. 8
Liability Insurance: Our students do not purchase personal liability insurance. According to our legal office, so long as our students only conduct appropriate learning activities listed in this manual, they should not need additional insurance. If you would like the student to purchase insurance, please provide the details to the student in advance so they can comply with your requirements. Students Seeking State Certification CAC certification: The field supervisor will need to sign the Work Verification Form found on the DORA website to verify the number of hours completed by the student. The details of the process can be found on the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) website at http://www.dora.state.co.us. According to the State Board of Addiction Counselor Examiners, MSU Denver Human Services students seeking CAC certification are included in the registration exemption. The policy is as follows: LICENSING 20-1 STUDENT EXEMPTION FOR CANDIDATES FOR ADDICTION COUNSELOR CERTIFICATION FOR LISTING IN THE STATE DATA BASE AND ACCUMULATION OF WORK EXPERIENCE HOURS Candidates for addiction counselor certification and licensure undergoing academic training for their undergraduate or graduate degree through college programs meeting Colorado addiction counselor training and approved trainer standards shall be exempt from requirements to be listed in the Colorado State Data Base for Registered Psychotherapists These students do not generally fall within the statutory meaning of registered psychotherapist, are not engaged in the primary practice of psychotherapy nor do they hold themselves out to the public as practicing psychotherapy for compensation. Such student candidates for addiction counselor certification or licensure may be allowed to acquire work experience hours for their bona-fide college approved practicum or internship undergraduate or graduate program, including non-psychotherapy hours as well as psychotherapy hours (e.g. co-facilitation clinical counseling), provided all such hours take place under faculty supervision or clinical on-site supervisors but in no instance to exceed 1000 hours toward any certification or licensure application. Adopted December 13, 2011 Domestic Violence: If the student is seeking state approval to work with domestic violence offenders and wants his/her practicum/internship hours to count, the field supervisor must be an approved Domestic Violence Clinical Supervisor. For information about the Standards for Treatment for Court Ordered Domestic Violence Offenders and provider qualifications, see the Colorado Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management website at http://www.dcj.state.co.us/odvsom. Work-Study Funds To Pay Students Some non-profit agencies may qualify to utilize work-study funds to pay students. The student must be awarded Federal Work-Study funds in order to qualify. (Colorado and No Need Work-Study are not eligible for off-campus employment.) The agency pays 25% 9
of the total amount the student is awarded. For example, if a student receives an award of $2500 per semester, the agency would need to pay $625 of that amount each semester. Details and an agency application are available in the Work-Study Handbook for Off-Campus Agency Supervisors on the MSU Denver Human Resources website. 10
Appendix A: Metropolitan State University of Denver Department of Human Services Field Competencies The evaluation process in the field placement is intended to provide an opportunity for honest conversation with the student about his/her performance. In addition, the process provides feedback to the Seminar Instructor and the Department of Human Services about our students and their performance in a number of arenas. Comments from the Field Supervisors help the student and the Seminar Instructor gain a better sense of strengths as well as areas for growth for the individual student. You do not have to comment on each item; however, we do appreciate thorough and specific feedback for our students. Please keep in mind that you should only evaluate the student on their performance THIS semester. Name of Student: ID Number: 900- Concentration Area: Placement Agency: Field Supervisor: Seminar Instructor: Comments on Overall Experience (Provide feedback for the student, the internship program, and/or the faculty advisor): Using the following scale, please rate the level of student competency in all areas by circling the appropriate number below the competency description: (0) Not Applicable, (1) Never, (2) Rarely, (3) Occasionally/Sometimes, (4) Often, (5) Every time CORE COMPETENCIES (Departmental Learning Objectives) Attitude: The student is enthusiastic about the field of Human Services and is able and willing to cooperate with field supervisors, co-workers, other interns, and the public. Agency Analysis: The student is able to understand the context of the agency, i.e. the infrastructure, organization, and the contributions to community life. 11
Ethical Knowledge: The student demonstrates an understanding of ethical issues and a knowledge of all ethics codes that may apply in the setting. Ethical Dilemmas: The student does not engage in activities that are contrary to the ethical standards and is able to use ethical decision-making when situations are not clear-cut. Cultural Knowledge: The student is aware of: the impact of cultural diversity (in the broadest sense of the term); their own personal culture; the various ways in which an individual s multiple aspects of identity interact. Cultural Sensitivity: The student is able to interact with individuals in meaningful ways that demonstrates an understanding of the impact of culture on personal style, values, perspectives and experiences. Professional Writing Skills: The student produces clear professional writing as appropriate to the placement such as grants, reports, case notes, evaluations and assessments, marketing materials, etc. DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY SKILLS 12
Interpersonal Communication Skills: The student communicates clearly and appropriately with field supervisors, clients, co-workers, and the public. Accepts Feedback: The student is receptive to feedback. Utilizes Feedback: The student responds to feedback in a professional manner by adapting the feedback into future performance. Assertiveness: The student is able to initiate and communicate appropriately in individual and group settings. Manages Conflict: The student utilizes communication to effectively manage conflict. Appropriate Intervention Skills: The student is able to provide the service that is appropriate to the field placement site (for example: intake interviews, group facilitation, customer service, case management, mentoring, treatment planning, events coordination, educational presentations, fundraising, grant writing, etc.). Problem Solves: The student uses critical thinking skills and applies knowledge to solve problems. 13
Self-Awareness: The student is willing to examine his/her own feelings, values, and behaviors and is aware of his/her own strengths and challenges. Self-Care: The student actively practiced self-care by establishing boundaries, seeking support when necessary, and taking steps to lead a healthy lifestyle. Professionalism: The student presents him/herself in a professional manner through appropriate attire and personal grooming. Student Signature Date Field Supervisor Signature Date 14