Practicum
Clinical Placement Students
The Miami University Student Counseling Service (MU SCS) provides clinical placement opportunities for doctoral level students in Clinical and Counseling Psychology, as well as master's level students in Social Work and Counseling. A yearlong commitment is usually expected so that each student can participate in an extensive training experience.
The Miami University Student Counseling Service is deeply committed to the appreciation and celebration of diversity. We value students of all identities, including but not limited to those based on race, ethnicity, sex, gender expression, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, nationality and citizenship status, age, body shape/size, religion, spirituality, ability, and ideology. We recognize the effects that discrimination, prejudice, and systemic issues of power and privilege can have on the life of a student. We strive to create a warm and welcoming environment where all students can feel supported, nurtured, and affirmed. As mental health professionals, we are trained to provide multiculturally informed services that meet the needs of all students while also honoring the uniqueness of each individual. All counseling services are confidential and are not part of the student academic record.
Psychology Clinical Placement Students
The Miami University Student Counseling Service (MU SCS) provides advanced clinical placement experiences for doctoral level students in psychology. A 16-20 hour per week commitment for the academic year is expected so that each student can participate in an immersive training experience.
Outline of the Placement
Weekly Clinical Hours (10 per week):
- 1 hour initial consultations (2, 20-30 minute consultations)
- 1 hour substance abuse assessment/intervention or attention problem evaluation
- 2 hours group therapy
- 5-6 hours ongoing individual clients
- Consulting, triage/clinical management, walk-in emergencies
Additional Placement Hours (10 per week):
- Clinical staff meeting
- Placement students must be available Friday mornings from 10:30-12:00 pm for the clinical staff meeting
- Minimum of 1-2 outreach presentations per semester
- Paperwork
Supervision:
- Fall semester individual supervision will be 2 hours per week; 1 hour provided by an intern under the umbrella supervision of a licensed psychologist, and 1 hour provided by a licensed psychologist.
- Spring semester individual supervision will be 1.5 hours per week, provided by a licensed psychologist.
- Individual supervision of group therapy will be 30 minutes per week, provided by their group co-facilitator.
- Group supervision of Individual Therapy for Placement Students is 2 hours every other week.
Requirements
Entrance Criteria
- Be a registered graduate student at or beyond the second year in an APA accredited doctoral level program in clinical or counseling psychology.
- Be in good standing on all requirements of the doctoral program.
- Have successfully completed prior supervised practicum and clinical placement experiences.
- Be referred by students' DCT and provide vita.
- Demonstrate consistency between candidate's professional interests and the goals of the MU SCS training program.
- In accordance with MU hiring procedure, interns must:
- Be able to pass the Employee Background Check.
- Be able to represent and warrant, by completing a Declaration Regarding Material Assistance/Non-Assistance to a Terrorist Organization form (supplied by the University), that the applicant has not provided any material assistance, as that term is defined in ORC Section 2909.33 C, to an organization that is included on the United States Department of State Terrorist Exclusion List and that the applicant has truthfully answered no to every question on the form.
Important Scheduling Information
- Placement students must be able to attend 3 days of orientation in the third week in August.
- Placement students must work 16-20 hours per week for an academic year.
- Placement students should be available Friday mornings to attend Group Supervision and Clinical Meeting.
- Any missed days due to illness must be made up.
- Placement students are granted all MU holidays and days off.
Exit Criteria
- Attendance at a minimum of 85% of individual supervision meetings.
- Attendance at a minimum of 85% of group supervision meetings (if relevant).
- At minimum, scheduling of 90% of the contracted time (typically, 10 hours per week) in direct clinical hours during the year (includes individual and group client hours, emergency hours, and on-call crisis).
- Minimum of 1-2 outreach presentations per semester.
- Completion of a week of after hours on-call duty.
- Satisfactory completion of all responsibilities of the half-time, 2 semester placement, demonstrated by ratings of "T" (on target) on all required evaluation scales.
Please contact Bethany Valenti, PsyD at hufferb@miamioh.edu about placement opportunities for psychology students.
Social Work Interns
Please contact Maria Carrubba-Whetstine at carrubmd@miamioh.edu about possible placement opportunities for social work students.