Instructions for Paper
Include the PSYC 499 Reaction Paper Grading Rubric with the completed assignment.
Your Reaction Paper needs to include the following to receive maximum credit:
1. Behaviors observed during the internship.
2. Theoretical explanations to support the behaviors observed.
3. Benefits of the internship.
4. Suggestions for your internship, future interns, people in the setting.
This is a Reaction Paper, not a Research Paper, so you do not have to include sources within your paper. However, if you choose to consult any sources (i.e., agency publication, theories), you must use APA format when properly citing the sources in the text, and you must list the publication information of the sources on a References page.
The following are some common mistakes that you will avoid. Most are according to the standards of appropriate formal writing; some are especially applicable to scientific thought and writing in APA style.
Technical writing
Style
Template
Your paper should be formatted in the following manner, addressing each of the following key areas:
I. Title Page: Should be in line with APA format, including the title of the paper, your name, and internship agency as well as a running head in APA format
II. Abstract: 150-250 words of overview of your entire paper; APA format required
III. Paper Body
A. Title: at the top of the first page of the paper
B. Introduction of internship agency: Do NOT include Introduction heading as this is unnecessary in APA format. Here you should provide an overview of your specific internship agency, as well as your daily duties and responsibilities.
C. Behaviors Observed: Please provide a summary of the major behaviors you observed throughout your internship experience. You may describe these behaviors in detail, but do not provide an explanation of the development of these behaviors in this section.
D. Theoretical Explanations: Please provide an explanation of the development of the behaviors you have observed, including at least one major psychological theory, such as the Social Learning Theory (?)
E. Benefits of the Internship: Here you should describe the various benefits you have received through completing your internship.
F. Suggestions for the Internship Agency, Future Interns, and Those in the Internship Setting: After discussing the benefits of the internship experience, please provide suggestions for the internship agency, future interns, and/or individuals you encountered at the internship agency. You do not need to address all three of these areas but you must provide some suggestions based upon your experience. You may address all three areas if you would like.
G. Conclusion: Please provide an overview of your entire internship experience with your concluding thoughts.
IV. References: Please include all references in APA format.
V. Rubric: Please attach the Reaction Paper Rubric at the end of your paper in order to receive feedback on your assignment.
PSYC 499 Syllabus
Instructions for Paper
Include the PSYC 499 Reaction Paper Grading Rubric with the completed assignment.
Your Reaction Paper needs to include the following to receive maximum credit:
1. Behaviors observed during the internship.
2. Theoretical explanations to support the behaviors observed.
3. Benefits of the internship.
4. Suggestions for your internship, future interns, people in the setting.
This is a Reaction Paper, not a Research Paper, so you do not have to include sources within your paper. However, if you choose to consult any sources (i.e., agency publication, theories), you must use APA format when properly citing the sources in the text, and you must list the publication information of the sources on a References page.
The following are some common mistakes that you will avoid. Most are according to the standards of appropriate formal writing; some are especially applicable to scientific thought and writing in APA style.
Technical writing
· Use third person references. Avoid “you” or “I” since this is a formal writing assignment.
· Use formal language–no contractions or informal terms (“a lot”,”thing”,”hyper”).
· Use past tense verbs to describe all findings—the events have already happened.
· Match nouns, pronouns, verbs for singular/plural form, even though it is sometimes awkward to avoid gender issues (he/she, themselves). Try using all plurals or alternating the singular gender reference.
· Edit carefully for punctuation and grammatical constructions. Christians must be articulate in order to be influential and persuasive.
Style
· Include a title page in APA format with the name of the paper and your name, and the agency name.
· Put a References page at the end, using hanging indent, if any sources have been cited.
· Cite sources in the form (author, year). Every source cited in the Paper must be in the References; every entry in the References must be cited in the Paper.
· The paper may be a chronological account of your experience, a focus on a particular area of interest from the experience, or an analysis of how the experience has affected your perception of these clients. Be careful to cover all areas in the Paper Evaluation adequately by using each
bold
term as a Paper heading for a section.
Template
Your paper should be formatted in the following manner, addressing each of the following key areas:
I. Title Page: Should be in line with APA format, including the title of the paper, your name, and internship agency as well as a running head in APA format
II. Abstract: 150-250 words of overview of your entire paper; APA format required
III. Paper Body
A. Title: at the top of the first page of the paper
B. Introduction of internship agency: Do NOT include Introduction heading as this is unnecessary in APA format. Here you should provide an overview of your specific internship agency, as well as your daily duties and responsibilities.
C. Behaviors Observed: Please provide a summary of the major behaviors you observed throughout your internship experience. You may describe these behaviors in detail, but do not provide an explanation of the development of these behaviors in this section.
D. Theoretical Explanations: Please provide an explanation of the development of the behaviors you have observed, including at least one major psychological theory, such as the Social Learning Theory (?)
E. Benefits of the Internship: Here you should describe the various benefits you have received through completing your internship.
F. Suggestions for the Internship Agency, Future Interns, and Those in the Internship Setting: After discussing the benefits of the internship experience, please provide suggestions for the internship agency, future interns, and/or individuals you encountered at the internship agency. You do not need to address all three of these areas but you must provide some suggestions based upon your experience. You may address all three areas if you would like.
G. Conclusion: Please provide an overview of your entire internship experience with your concluding thoughts.
IV. References: Please include all references in APA format.
V. Rubric: Please attach the Reaction Paper Rubric at the end of your paper in order to receive feedback on your assignment.
Page 2 of 2
PSYC
4
99
Reaction Paper Rubric
The following template was designed for
you
, the student, in an attempt to provide a large amount of feedback for your reaction paper. You will see below all the areas that were objectively and thoroughly considered in the grading process, and how your performance was judged in each of these areas. Also, please notice that this is an additive, not subtractive method of grading. Therefore, instead of beginning with
1
00% and losing points for errors, students begin with 0% and earn points for the work they submit. The following template is a guideline for grading. The professor reserves the right to raise/lower a student’s final grade if it is believed template values have not credited assignment worth appropriately.
|
Points |
Out of |
|
|
Title Page |
( 3 0) |
|
| 1 |
Running head is present, correct ( 2 -3 words in top left corner), & throughout paper (ex. Running head: ABBREVIATED TITLE) |
|
| 2 |
Page # in top R corner & present throughout paper |
|
| 3 |
Full title is appropriate and in proper place (see APA for good title content) |
|
| 4 |
Student name and internship agency in proper place (course #, date, and student id # not necessary) |
|
|
Abstract |
( 20 ) |
|
|
5 |
The abstract is of proper word length ( 15 0- 25 0 word max), and of relevant content |
|
|
6 |
Proper APA (not indented, no reference, double spaced, correct heading) |
|
|
Assignment Content |
(300) |
|
|
7 |
Summary of behaviors observed throughout internship |
|
|
Theoretical explanations of behaviors observed (must include at least 1 theory) |
||
|
Benefits of the internship experience |
||
|
Suggestions for the agency, people at the agency, and/or future interns |
||
|
Grammar and Paper Structure |
(70) |
|
|
Proper introduction, use, and presentation of abbreviations |
||
|
Proper use of quotations, commas, italics, and other punctuation |
||
|
Spelling |
||
|
The assignment is grammatically/typographically correct (including sentence structure) |
||
|
Assignment is written in 3rd person (i.e. do not use personal pronouns “I”, “you”, we”, etc.) |
||
|
Assignment is of proper length (3.3 pages/credit hour; 10 pages/125 hours, 20 pages/250 hours) |
||
|
Text is written in a coherent, succinct manner |
||
|
References |
||
| 15 |
Citations on the reference page match citations in text |
|
|
16 |
The assignment contains a reference page free of errors (know APA well) |
|
|
19 |
Quotations are introduced (don’t start sentences), long quotes proper (& not excessive) |
|
| 20 |
Proper in text citations (present where necessary) |
|
|
21 |
Proper in text citations (presentation) (i.e. Smith, 2004, p. 123) |
|
|
General APA |
(60) |
|
|
22 |
One inch margins (on L and R sides; don’t even/fix R margin) |
|
|
23 |
There is not additional space between paragraphs |
|
|
24 |
Proper indenting and paragraph length |
|
| 25 |
Font size and style are correct (Times New Roman, 12 point font) |
|
|
27 |
Headings are used and correctly formatted to identify sections and provide structure |
|
|
28 |
Paper is double-spaced throughout |
|
|
Miscellaneous APA |
||
|
TOTAL POINTS |
(500) |
The beginning of this is what I actually do. The rest are examples.
I intern in a 24 Hour HealthCare Group Home with six clients; the youngest clients are in their twenty’s.
I have two supervisors and there are at least 12 Staff Members on the payroll at all times. There is a constant turnover of staff.
I intern in a 24 Hour HealthCare group homes for people with Intellectual Disability, known as Individualized Residential Alternatives IRAs provide individuals with a developmental disability the opportunity to live in a family-size group in residential communities. Once in care, these consumers have found a home for life. The facility Services provides residential care for more than six individuals.
Every day I am able to help each of the five males that live there to reach their fullest potential in life. Each of them suffers from a developmental disability that they were born with. I have learned that when you are born with a disability there are many people who say that “he or she will never be able to ….” because of that disability. Being an employee for Ability Beyond Disability has allowed me to help bring out their ability, regardless of their disability.
Working with these individuals has inspired me to continue my education and go to college to obtain my degree in social and behavioral science so that I can continue to help people with disabilities. Working with these guys has changed my perspective on life quite a bit. I have learned the difference between sympathy and empathy; I have learned that I should never take the simple things in life for granted because there are many people who do not have them or cannot do them. I am lucky enough to be able to help teach the people who cannot easily perform simple, everyday tasks to learn the skills they need to be able to master them. I have the privilege of taking the guys into the community and educating others who may not be aware of the disabilities that they possess.
Consumers range from being mildly Intellectually disabled to profoundly Intellectually disabled. Some consumers have physical handicaps, some struggle with behavioral disorders, others have significant medical conditions and some are dually diagnosed with mental illness as well as Intellectual Disability.
All residents are provided with services focused on continued skill acquisition in areas of self-help, socialization and use of recreational time. During the day, some residents participate in our community-based day habilitation programs; others attend school outside the home. In the evenings and on weekends, consumers participate in daily household activities, recreational outings and leisure activities appropriate to their ability level.
The consumers with intellectual disability and developmentally disabilities who are served in the CMS Residential Services program present a full spectrum of complex medical and behavioral health problems. In response, CMS provides a broad array of services that are provided either directly by Cardinal McCloskey staff and consultants or by community-based providers. All medical treatment, including dental, optometry, audiology, podiatry, psychiatric and psychological, substance abuse, hospital and rehabilitative services such as occupational, physical or speech and language therapy is provided by community based practitioners and facilities.
CMS has also developed a number of arrangements that enable us to have certain services provided at the IRA (with doctor’s orders) through fully licensed clinics that, in effect, send their medical personnel to make “house calls.” Therefore, when it is appropriate, an individual may receive podiatry, nutritional counseling and management, psychological/behavioral treatment, psychiatric care, occupational therapy, physical therapy or speech and language therapy within the residence.
Because of the complexity of the problems that are presented, and multiple providers from almost every medical discipline, every IRA group home has a Residence Nurse responsible for care management to ensure that every consumer receives quality medical care. Because of the medical complexity of the residents in our Elmsford IRA, in addition to R.N. Services, there is now a full-time L.P.N. to further provide medical care management. Nurses visit each of their assigned residences at least once a week. They meet with the residents, provide health care education, monitor health needs, review records, make referrals and ensure follow-up on medical recommendations. The nurse is a critical member of the treatment team.
Medication Needs – The Residence Nurses are responsible for monitoring medications for appropriateness and potential interactions. In addition, the Residence Nurses also provide mandated medical education programs for the residence counselors caring for the consumers. The AMAP training is a rigorous New York State approved in-service training that enables residence counselors to become certified to administer medication. The Residence Nurses supervise the medication administration duties of the counselors and provide yearly re-certification classes.
In addition, CMS contracts with a dedicated pharmacy that specializes in providing services to consumers with intellectual disability and developmentally disabilities. The pharmacy is available twenty four hours, seven days a week, to respond to our medication needs, whether routine or emergency. They also provide in-service education to staff so that they are well informed about the medical conditions of the residents they work with.
Mabel is a 65-year old mildly developmentally disabled woman with a dual diagnosis of developmental disability and mental illness. She is a quiet woman who enjoys going to her day habilitation program, doing needlepoint by the fireplace, and living in her Westchester group home with her seven housemates – other dually-diagnosed adults.
When John moved from a large institution for developmentally disabled adults to his new McCloskey IRA (Individual Residential Alternative) in upper Westchester County in 1998, he was a healthy, energetic man who liked the cozy atmosphere of his new home. Despite having profound developmental disability as a result of Down’s Syndrome and being non-verbal, he enjoyed listening to Irish music, sitting in his favorite chair, and going out to his day program.
My duties are below.
Assist in supervising all Day Program Staff; monitor all program/client documentation, staff
trainings (in-service) pertaining to client programs, behaviors etc. and assist QMRP (Qualified
Mental Retardation Professional) and Hab. Specialist in keeping abreast of residents care/needs.
Coordinates a variety of activities for the residents of the group home, or similar treatment and care by assisting in performing the following duties. Assist in planning recreational activities and supervises work and study programs. Assist in ensuring and maintaining a clean, healthy, safe and pleasant facility at all times. Assist in counseling residents in identifying and resolving social or other problems and protects the residents’ legal rights and promotes a good, clean and healthy environment for all residents. Compiles records of residents’ daily activities to schedule appointments and transportation. Visit Community College to monitor residents’ activities and ensure activities is in keeping with residents IPP (Individual Program Plan).
Assist in ensuring that documentation, incident/accident reports, contact notes, bruise sheets,
program documentation, staff notes, consultants monthly reports, quarterly evaluations and
annuals are current and in place. Work closely with all Consultants, Director, Habilitation Specialist, and Group Home Manager to ensure that residents’ needs are being addressed and met. Ensure the confidentiality of resident’s rights is maintained at all times to include the
confidentiality of residents’ and staffs files/ medical records.
By design and appearance they
are “home-like” in nature. The mission of the Group Home Program is to
promote “person-centered care” in a home-like
environment. Person-centered care emphasizes
resident independence through a cooperative
relationship between the assistant Health Habicare provider
and the resident, in a setting that protects
and encourages resident dignity, choice,
individuality, independence and privacy.
Consumers range from being mildly Intellectually disabled to profoundly Intellectually disabled. Some consumers have physical handicaps, some struggle with behavioral disorders, others have significant medical conditions and some are dually diagnosed with mental illness as well as Intellectual Disability.
Trained, experienced residential counselors provide round-the-clock supervision and daily habilitation services. All residents are provided with services focused on continued skill acquisition in areas of self-help, community integration, socialization and use of recreational time. During the day, residents go to jobs, community-based day habilitation programs or treatment programs. In the evenings and on weekends, consumers participate in daily household activities, recreational outings and leisure activities appropriate to their ability level.
Some consumers in the Day Hab Program work with our Habilitation Specialists on developing their individual skills such as reading and writing. Others are developing more advanced skills such as phone skills. Some individuals are working on developing their independent abilities and participate in travel training and basic money management before moving into pre-vocational services.
Special outings to local attractions and recreational trips are a regular part of the Day Hab Center’s habilitation program. Outings include monthly birthday celebrations at area restaurants, summer swimming trips, weekly bowling trips. Trips to museums and movies and classes such as ceramics are all planned to enrich the lives of Day Hab participants.
Some clients fight, bite, spit, pee etc. Staff must be trained
This experience stimulated me to reinforce my values of integrity, self-determination, competence, and human relationships. As a social worker my integrity will be shown in an honest and friendly manner. I will treat each client/patient with respect and dignity. This will also allow me to build a good rapport with the client; he/she will be able to trust me. Trusting me will allow the patient to see my level of competence which will also be observed my colleagues and co-workers. Such competence will be seen through my work performance, willingness to learn and share information, team worker, listening skills, and other essential social work skills that I will learn as time progresses.
may include: being involved in the assessment process through giving mental status examinations, evaluating the functioning of the resident, being involved in care planning, updating charts, attending conferences with family and staff members and getting acquainted with working with the elderly. The schedule of the program is structured so as to stabilize the residents’ environment. Activities vary, however, and the residents have the opportunity to choose the activities in which they are interested.
My recent internship would be the greatest learning experience I have had lately. The format of the internship is to work in each of the varying departments for a few days to get the lay of the land,. We were supposed to spend the rest of our 10 weeks working on our projects and running the store (acting as manager). I learned a lot about the processes of this specific organization and how they all work together, but I also learned a lot about applying management techniques. We had multiple training sessions that honed my leadership skills, but the application was where I really learned. I learned a lot about how to effectively interact with people. I made sure that before I would coach a team member on how to do something correctly, according to brand, that I knew exactly why that was the way we chose to do it, because I wanted them to understand. I learned that understanding is the key to implementing — I guess that’s why I’ve always liked math; if I understand why I need to do a formula a certain way, then I will remember it and even appreciate it.
I have gained a lot of knowledge, insight and experience into the field. I am fortunate to
have been given the opportunity to grow in more ways than one. My position is titled
Key Account Marketing but my manager, Tom Miller, has given me the opportunity to
work with other segments of the marketing department. I have completed projects for
visual marketing, public relations, web marketing and co-op. I feel better prepared to start
my senior year because of my greater understanding of the marketing department as a
whole and how all the segments are interrelated. This internship has also helped me
develop a better idea of which direction I would like to take my marketing degree.
A Sample Internship
Janice, a MSW candidate in the clinical/administrative track, worked three days a week at a psychiatric hospital in Queens, N.Y., as an intensive case manager. Her clients were all diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI), such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression. Many of them also had co-occurring substance abuse issues, such as alcohol, crack or marijuana dependency. A typical client was a 33-year-old Hispanic male, living in his own apartment or in a home with family, who had been diagnosed for two years or more with mental illness. Janice’s duties included making weekly home visits to all clients to evaluate their ability to live on their own, ascertain that they were taking their medications, and provide counseling to help them manage daily tasks.
One client, Jason, a 21-year-old African-American male, had been diagnosed with major depression since he was an adolescent. He grew up in an abusive home where his mother provided minimal supervision or nurturing. As a teenager, he was involved with the “goth” culture and dressed all in black, wore spiked jewelry and had multiple piercings in his face and ears. Approximately halfway through the year, Janice began to wonder if Jason had been correctly diagnosed. What she noticed was that Jason would change his demeanor and feelings based on the person he was talking to. Janice had an upbeat personality, whereas her supervisor was more serious and sullen. When Janice and her supervisor visited Jason together, Jason would take on the personality features of the supervisor, talking in a low tone and expressing feelings of ambivalence and a flat affect. But when Janice visited alone, his demeanor was more “normal,” he seemed less depressed and talked about his future plans.
Janice discussed her observations with her supervisor and he suggested they monitor Jason for one month to see if the pattern held. It did. The next step was to approach Jason’s psychiatrist and request that he be reevaluated for a personality disorder rather than major depression. In the end, Jason’s diagnosis was changed to reflect a personality disorder and his treatment was altered to match. As a result, Jason began to show positive signs of treatment, including becoming more active, and even began dating.
What happened in this situation wasn’t that Janice’s supervisor was negligent; it was that her fresh pair of eyes saw something different then his did. This kind of experience is what can make internships worthwhile; students walk into already existing programs with enrolled clients and not only have a chance to learn but also to enhance what is already there.
It is not uncommon, when working with the same client for a long time, to begin to see them only through the lens of their diagnosis instead of as a person with a dynamic personality. In social work, it is always important to remember to treat whole people, not just a diagnosis.
“I had the pleasure this semester of working as an intern at the Litchfield Nursing Home. I did everything from filing Care Plans to helping an older gentleman order his books on tape. I work under the supervision of Autumn Freed, an alumnus of Hillsdale. She gave me the opportunity to administer Mental Status Exams to the residents, to make notations in medical records, and to read Psychiatric reports. I also sat in on the State’s Exit Interview with the facility, and I sat in on conferences between staff, residents, and family members. If anyone is interested in this internship contact Autumn Freed at (517) 542-2323. The program is very new, but Autumn was wonderful to have as a supervisor and the experience is well worth the drive to Litchfield.” (Tabatha Goss, Spring 1995)
All interns (regardless of track) are assigned an elementary school placement. At the assigned elementary school, interns provide comprehensive psychological services to both regular education and special education students under supervision of their primary supervisors. Interns serve on the school’s student support team, which assists in developing educational and behavioral interventions for students within the general education program. Consultation in the regular education program may involve observation, evaluation of the instructional environment, classroom management, recommending effective teaching strategies, and referring students for further intervention with the 504 team or the special education committee. Interns observe these team meetings at the beginning of the year and then are active participants throughout the year, discussing with their primary supervisor appropriate recommendations and when to refer for further intervention.
My first month working for Columbia, I spent a lot of time becoming familiar with how
my job functions
Our school based services include intervention with an individual student through classroom observation or therapy, prevention groups for students covering various mental health topics, and mental health consultation and education for teachers, school counselors and administrators. These services are provided at numerous schools with which we have contracts in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties.
The choices we make early in life have an enormous impact on our future. I have always known that I wanted to directly impact people’s lives and my personal experiences have set me on the school-counseling path. In the future, I would love to influence another generation of students to soar for their dreams.
During the past three years of college, my interest in counseling has been affirmed through a variety of experiences. One important experience that influenced my decision to pursue a career as a school counselor was my involvement in my community service sorority, Chi Delta Alpha. Through Chi Delta Alpha, I volunteered on several occasions, among them I babysat children to provide parents with a night off; I was responsible for a group of elementary students as they experienced college classes and I painted a caboose for a local playground. A theme that has remained constant throughout all my different experiences is that making a difference in a person’s life is a rewarding experience, and I know that I desire a career that enables me to support high school students as they f…
This unique school, serving children with serious academic, emotional, behavioral and cognitive disorders,
The youth are diagnosed with serious psychiatric issues that require certified classroom teachers, master-level social workers, a consulting psychologist and psychiatrist, and other behaviorally-trained staff.
Some clients attend school while more severe mental disorders remain at the day program
Professional Staff, Psychology Interns, and Students
In Cuyahoga County, Applewood Centers employs approximately 35 professional staff including psychologists, predoctoral psychology interns, psychiatrists, independently licensed clinical counselors and social workers, and nurses. The agency also hosts several professional training programs including: child psychiatry residents from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine/University Hospitals of Cleveland, a social work internship in partnership with several local universities, and occasionally clinical psychology graduate students from local universities. Students from these training programs may join the psychology interns for selected training experiences.
Psychological services
Applewood’s Psychological Services department is housed within the Division of Behavioral Healthcare, which has administrative responsibility for the internship. The division’s primary programs include: Counseling in School, Home & Office; Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; Psychological Testing & Assessment; Early Childhood Mental Health; After School & Summer Programs; Residential Treatment; Foster Care & Adoption; and Eleanor Gerson Alternative School Programs.
Interns are considered full time clinical staff during the internship year and as such are afforded the same clerical, scheduling, and other administrative support as is all clinical staff.
Internship Mission Statement
The mission of the predoctoral psychology internship at Applewood Centers is to prepare interns for entry-level professional practice in clinical child and adolescent psychology. The internship strives to train psychology interns to serve, competently and ethically, the mental health needs of children, adolescents, and their families in a variety of clinical settings. Interns are exposed to both a high level of scientific activity and practice innovation through their experience.
Minority intern applicants are encouraged. Applewood Centers serves a large and diverse urban population, including a large Latino population from the agency’s Jones Campus. The families we serve represent diverse cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Philosophy
The program believes that psychological practice is informed by psychological science. The program believes that professional competence and identity are developed and consolidated through supervised clinical practice, didactic training, scholarly inquiry, and the opportunity to work collaboratively with psychologists and professionals in other disciplines. Accordingly, the program is structured so that interns assume major clinical responsibilities in the context of appropriate supervisory support, didactic training, professional role modeling, knowledge of community resources, and knowledge of administrative systems.
Training Model: Practitioner-Scientist
Consistent with the philosophy of psychological practice informed by science, the internship’s training model is best characterized by a Practitioner-Scientist Model. The internship’s training model emphasizes six core areas of professional competency: (1) relationship, (2) assessment, (3) intervention, (4) application of clinical research to practice, (5) consultation, and (6) quality of care. In order to develop these competencies, the internship provides a wide variety of clinical and educational experiences in early childhood, child, adolescent, and family psychology. The training model holds that competencies are ideally developed through repeated exposure to a variety of clinical experiences supported by thorough supervision and didactic training. These competencies form a direct nexus with the Foundational and Functional Competencies developed by the Assessment of Competency Benchmarks Work Group convened by APA Board of Educational Affairs in collaboration with the Council of Chairs of Training Councils (June 2007).
Clinical experiences and didactic training are sequenced to present core information first and to build on previous experience. Interns work with clients who have experienced a variety of stressors including divorce, school failure, pregnancy, accidents, foster care placement, death, sexual abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and illness. Interns work with clients with diverse diagnoses and presenting problems including ADHD, disruptive behavior disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, PTSD, adjustment disorders, bipolar disorders, and learning disorders. Interns have the opportunity to learn and apply diverse theoretical approaches to treatment. Treatment modalities include individual, group, and family therapy, parent guidance, school consultation, and client advocacy. Practice settings include outpatient clinics and public schools. Interns conduct psychological assessments to address a variety of referral questions including differential diagnosis, thought disorder, lethality risk, mental retardation and learning disabilities.
The internship integrates clinical research through individual and group supervision, didactic seminars, assigned readings in professional journals, and continuing professional education. The commitment to empirically supported treatment and evidence-based practice, may involve a clinical research rotation depending on grant availabilities for a particular internship year. It is a priority of the internship to provide training and clinical experiences that foster respect for and the ability to work effectively with clients from diverse cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Training Goals
At the conclusion of the 12-month program, interns will be able to demonstrate an intermediate to advanced level of knowledge and competence with children, adolescents, and their families in these core areas of professional competency:
Relationship – Relationship competencies involve the capacity to develop and maintain constructive working alliances with clients and also include the ability to work in collaboration with peers, colleagues, students, supervisors, and members of other disciplines, consumers of services, and community organizations.
Assessment – Assessment competencies involve the process of describing, conceptualizing, characterizing, and predicting relevant aspects of clients. The assessment process uses a multi-method and multi-theory approach that takes into account the socio-cultural context and focuses not only on limitations and dysfunctions, but also on competencies, strengths, and areas of effectiveness.
Intervention – Intervention competencies involve activities that promote, restore, sustain, and/or enhance positive functioning and a sense of well being in clients through preventive, developmental, and/or remedial services.
Application of Research to Practice – Application of research to practice competencies involves the process of reviewing and evaluating psychological research and selectively using research to guide clinical practice. Additionally, these application competencies include learning and administering research-based semi-structured clinical interviews and screening measures in our community mental health center As stated previously, depending on the status of grants, opportunities may be available for a research rotation.
Consultation – Consultation competencies involve planned collaborative interaction with clients or colleagues, in relation to an identified problem area or program. Consultation is an explicit intervention process in which the psychologist does not have direct control of the actual change
process.
Quality of Care – Quality of Care competencies involve adherence to the professional ethics, standards, regulations, and laws that direct, organize, and control services provided by psychologists.
Training Methods
Training is accomplished through direct clinical experience, individual and group supervision, didactic seminars, treatment team staffing, professional consultation, continuing professional education, and scholarly readings. Psychology staff provides primary individual supervision. Interns are integrated as full staff members into the treatment teams. Consultation to and with other disciplines regarding specific therapeutic questions or interventions is available and encouraged. Audio taping and videotaping are used at least monthly as teaching aids. The internship’s direct service component draws from clients and programs across the multi-service agency.
Program Descriptions
All interns are required to do the outpatient services (therapy and assessment) and school-based mental health services rotations. Participation in residential care, partial hospitalization groups, and early childhood education are available as optional clinical experiences. Interns are invited to tailor the amounts of each of these rotations to their preferences within the constraints of agency’s needs. The rotations at Applewood Centers are concurrent.
Outpatient Services
The Clinical Services Program of Applewood Centers provides psychotherapy and psychological assessment services at four clinic locations in the Greater Cleveland area. Interns will be placed together in the outpatient department in Cleveland. The target populations served are children and adolescents ranging in age from birth to 18 and their families. Most of our clients are minorities from urban, lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Psychotherapy services are based on specifically formulated goals and incorporate an awareness of each family’s unique strengths, practical realities, and cultural background. Interns will provide individual and family psychotherapy to clients in the outpatient clinic. Group psychotherapy is an option depending on the intern’s interest and agency’s needs. Interns and staff are welcome to generate their own group topics and curricula, and the agency has several empirically supported curricula that are often utilized for groups. A variety of theoretical orientations and treatment frameworks may be used in therapy depending on client needs. Therapy strives to achieve identified goals in the shortest time necessary; however, services may be extended when symptoms are severe, chronic, or when acute stressors persist.
Psychological assessments are performed to provide diagnostic information about children, adolescents, and families to assist with treatment planning and interventions. A variety of psychological tests are used to measure different domains and levels of client functioning. These domains include intellectual functioning, academic achievement, adaptive behavior, emotional disturbance, personality structure, and family systems. Interns perform most psychological assessments with outpatient clients (including Community Psychiatric Supportive Treatment and Multisystemic Therapy), but may also perform assessments with clients from any of Applewood’s programs.
Intern activities include:
Child, adolescent, and family outpatient psychotherapy cases
Child and adolescent psychological assessment, report writing and feedback (approximately 12 per year)
Consultation with referral sources and professionals from treatment teams, other disciplines, and other involved systems
Outpatient group psychotherapy (optional and usually conducted within the context of the school based rotation or partial hospitalization).
School Based Mental Health Services
Applewood Centers has a long history of placing independently licensed therapists in elementary schools, middle schools and high schools in the community to provide clinical services and consultation. These schools have been enthusiastic about the services offered by Applewood therapists and the need for these services is growing. Interns will be assigned to one to two schools for the entire school year and will be in that school 2 to 3 days per week. This rotation provides an excellent opportunity to provide therapy focused on school-based problems, develop consultation and collaboration skills, better understand the school milieu, and learn more about how mental health problems impact school performance and school behavior. Presenting problems seen in the schools are similar to those seen in outpatient clinical settings and include attention problems and hyperactivity, acting out and aggressive behavior, depression, anxiety, socialization problems, and learning problems.
Intern activities include:
Individual child and adolescent psychotherapy cases
Group psychotherapy with children and adolescents
Consultation with parents, family therapy and/or psychological evaluation feedback to parents
Development of behavioral interventions for the classroom and home
Consultation provided to classroom teachers and school administrators as needed
Consultation with referral sources and professionals from treatment teams, other disciplines, and other involved systems
Crisis intervention for students, teachers, and administrators if necessary
Activities and Time Allocation
An approximate breakdown of program assignment, training opportunity, time allocation, and percentage of workweek is as follows:
|
Program/Service |
Hours per week |
|
Supervision |
|
|
Group Supervision/Didactics |
1.0 clinical group supervision 1.0 assessment group supervision |
|
Individual Therapy Supervision One (1) hour for outpatient, (one) 1 hour for school and assessment combined, typically. This may vary depending on your rotations and amount of time with each one. |
2.0 |
|
Supervision for Training and Research in Diagnosis and Screening is built into the rotation time One (1) to four (4) hours per week of supervision and didactics. |
|
|
Treatment Team Meetings |
1.5 |
|
Outpatient Therapy |
34.5 flex hours, of which 18 must be billable |
|
School Based Therapy and Consultation |
|
|
Psychological Testing (minimum of 12 completed over year) |
|
|
Other rotation (early childhood therapy; partial hospitalization; etc.) |
|
|
Total |
40.0 |
Notes:
Psychological testing is billed for face to face contact only (actual testing and feedback session).
Clinical Services Treatment Team Meetings
Interns attend monthly multi-disciplinary clinical services group meetings with the outpatient services treatment staff for an hour and a half. The meetings are a forum to provide multi-disciplinary consultation around case presentations, communicate agency policies, integrate interns into the agency culture, and develop professional relationships.
Diversity Training
The internship provides specific training in issues of diversity and multicultural competence. Diversity training is scheduled each year with several foci: (1) identifying different dimensions of cultural and lifestyle diversity; (2) clarifying perspectives in cross cultural interactions; and (3) recognizing and resolving challenges in intercultural exchange. The diversity training gives interns opportunities to develop and practice new ways of perceiving and behaving in cross cultural interactions. In addition, diversity and multicultural clinical issues are addressed in an ongoing fashion through individual supervision, peer group meetings, team meetings, and the internship seminar.
Behavioral Healthcare of Fredericksburg is an outpatient mental health practice, providing psychotherapy and psychological assessment for children, adolescents and adults. There may be a stipend with this internship.
Duties
1. Undertake detailed telephone intake interviews with new clients.
2. Administer and score selected psychological testing, as trained by and under supervision of Clinical Psychologist.
3. Meet with psychologist and social worker to discuss treatment planning.
4. Observe Competency to Stand Trial and Mental State at the time of the Offense evaluations, when available.
5. Observe and participate in intake evaluations, based on permission of patients.
6. Contact referral sources for information.
7. Weekly, one hour supervision meeting with Clinical Psychologist
8. Assist practice by answering phones to provide information about services to referral sources, potential patients and inquirers.
9. Interview collateral patient contacts for background information
10. Review psychological assessment reports
This course provides field experience in school, rehabilitation, and community counseling activities of a professional counselor including training in the core counseling skills, techniques as well as direct counseling experience with individuals and groups. Additionally, involves the assessment, case conceptualization, diagnosis, and treatment of clients Counseling Services Center (CCSC). Counseling theories, a systems perspective, and be examined as they apply to various training experiences. Students will receive supervision activities including on observed, recorded, and reported experiences in the CCSC individual feedback will be provided. Instructors will use role play, lecture, and small present course material. Students will be required to review recorded client sessions, presentations, and engage in peer feedback to meet course objectives.
Course Objectives
By the end of each semester, students should be able to demonstrate appropriate proficiency in:
1. Understanding their behavioral, cognitive, and emotional reactions in counseling 2. Understanding counselor and consultant characteristics and behaviors that influence processes including age, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, ethnic, cultural differences, verbal and nonverbal behaviors as well as personal characteristics, 3. Developing a coherent, personalized approach to counseling and consultation theory, research, and practice and describe and demonstrate its use in counseling.
Understanding and exploring the development, stages, and models of consultation and counseling and
applying relevant theory to case presentations. School counseling interns will be also demonstrate their
knowledge and ability to apply: (a) theories, models, and processes of consultation and change with
school personnel, parents, community groups, agencies, and students as appropriate; (b) consultation
strategies to promote effective teamwork within the school and larger community; (c) strategies of
working with parents, guardians, families, and communities to empower them to act on behalf of their
children; (d) conducting programs designed to enhance students’ academic, social, emotional, career, and
other developmental needs, and (e) coordination, collaboration, referral, and team-building efforts with
teachers, parents, support personnel, and community resources to promote counseling program objectives
and facilitate successful student development and achievement of all students within a school placement
setting.
6. Skillfully and appropriately using core counseling skills in their work with clients.
7. Understanding the professional identity of counselors and performing the major aspects of counseling
services including: (a) conducting intake interviews and gathering detailed information necessary for
decisions about the appropriateness of clients for services and directions for treatment, (b) accurately
accessing and understanding the nature of clients’ problems as well as their causes and consequences, (c)
responding effectively to both cognitive and affective aspects of client concerns, (d) setting appropriate
therapeutic goals in collaboration with clients, (e) developing, in collaboration with clients, realistic
treatment plans including effective change strategies, (f) using a variety of counseling/consultation
techniques, procedures, and resources appropriately, (g) conceptualizing the counseling process over
time and maintaining therapeutic structure in their work with clients, (h) making appropriate referrals as
appropriate for clients requiring additional services, and (i) appropriately using standardized and nonstandardized
assessment instruments and information.
recording and case presentation format to better understand students’ strengths and areas for
improvement.
9. Constructively seeking, receiving, and implementing supervisory feedback on work with clients,
accurately assessing students’ own strengths and limitations as counselors, and identifying specific areas
for improvement.
10. Critiquing the counseling skills of peers and offering constructive suggestions for improved intervention
strategies.
11. Maintaining up-to-date, accurate records of client concerns and progress throughout the counseling
process.
12. Understanding and applying the ethical and legal standards of practice for school, community, and
rehabilitation counseling and maintaining professional, ethical, and lawful conduct at all times in the
Community Counseling Services Center and the field site including those responsibilities spelled out in
the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.
