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POLICY FOR EMPLOYMENT IN INTERNSHIP

1. Field experience options for student employed in full-time counseling position:
   Definition of counseling employment: 40% direct contact with clients (individual, couple, family, or groups) for the purpose of personal change (growth, self awareness, behavior change, etc.) involving identification and application of counseling skills.
   
   • Change counseling agencies with or without leave of absence.
     • Change counseling units within the same agency
       
     • Reduce time in primary unit, take on second unit for 20% of work time
       
     • Maintain same job, alternate clinical supervisor. Requires minimum 1 hour a week on site supervisor accessibility and consultation as needed
       
     • Maintain same job and same on site supervisor, but increase supervision. Requires additional 1 hour per week and change in focus of supervision
       
     • Same part time job, additional part time placement
       
     • Full time job with additional 20% internship hours
       
     • No change of employment, full practicum or internship credit for regular full-time or part-time job. (This applies to students in their first year of employment in a new job)
       
     • Exceptions for the unusual case require documentation of student expertise
       
     • Internship options for student with part-time counseling employment:

A, B1, B2, and E above apply.

HDC POLICY REGARDING INADEQUATE PERFORMANCE IN INTERNSHIP

In the event that a student's performance during internship is seriously inadequate and/or the student is disruptive to the operation of the placement site, the HDC Program reserves the right to remove a student from his/her field placement at the discretion of the faculty internship supervisor and on-site supervisor, in consultation with the student's adviser. In such cases, remedial steps will be recommended as deemed appropriate. A student may apply for readmission to internship when all remedial steps have been carried out to the satisfaction of the student's faculty internship supervisor and adviser. If the student's performance in internship is in violation of the HDC policy on student conduct, appropriate measures will be taken as outlined in that policy statement.

Since counselors interact with their clients at a time when clients are particularly vulnerable, counselors must exhibit good judgment and professional behavior. HDC students are expected to display personal and professional integrity in their roles as counselors, students, and citizens. Any violation of professional ethics (ACA Ethical Standards, 1995) the university code (University of Illinois at Springfield Student Handbook/Calendar, 2000-01), or local, state, or federal laws will be grounds for consideration by the HDC Program Committee that the student be removed from the HDC Program. The Committee's decision shall be independent of the student's academic achievement and of any decisions made by professional organizations or the legal system.

GATEKEEPING

The counselor educator has the responsibility to the community to ensure that unprepared counselor-trainees are not allowed to advance in the counseling program. At any time the faculty reserves the right to review a student's fitness, on the basis of personal characteristics, for continuing in the program.

Students with characteristics that could prove dysfunctional in the profession will be reviewed by the entire Program when it is so recommended by two or more faculty members. The Program's evaluation results in a recommendation for:

1. continuation in the program
   
2. continuation with conditions
   
3. dismissal from the program

HDC POLICY ON APPEALS

To appeal a decision regarding a grade or another program matter, the student will first try to settle the disagreement with the faculty or staff member involved. If still dissatisfied the student will next consult the adviser, and finally, the program Convener. If the student is still dissatisfied with the results, a written request will be submitted to the Convener for a hearing before the HDC Program Committee. The University grievance process remains available if all efforts at the program level are unsatisfactory.

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON APPEALS

A grievance is a complaint arising from any alleged unauthorized or unjustified act or decision by a member of the University community which adversely affects the status, rights, or privileges of any member of the student body. The two principal functions of the student grievance are to determine whether institutional error has occurred and, if so, to determine an appropriate redress for the grievant.

Grievable issues are those in which there is a possibility of error in University policies and procedures (or lack of them) and/or the administration of such policies and procedures.

A complete statement of policy and procedures is available in the HDC office.

EVALUATION PROTOCOLS

Evaluation is viewed as an important part of the clinical experience, enabling the HDC Program to provide constructive feedback to students and faculty supervisors and to provide high quality clinical experiences for HDC students.

Formative evaluation occurs throughout the clinical experience in group and individual supervisory sessions from peers and supervisors. Summative evaluations are provided in writing by University and on-site supervisors.

For interns, the faculty supervisor completes the "Faculty Supervisor's Evaluation of Intern Student" form (Form I-1). The on-site supervisor, who is the primary supervisor for Internship, completes the "On-site Supervisor's Evaluation of Intern Student" form (Form I-2). These evaluations are placed in the student's permanent file in the HDC office.

At the conclusion of the internship experience, or at the end of each semester, interns are asked to evaluate their on-site supervisor using the "Intern Student's Evaluation of On-site Supervisor" form (Form I-3), their faculty supervisor using the "Intern Student's Evaluation of Faculty Supervisor (Form I-5), and their placement site using the "Intern Student's Site Evaluation" form (Form I-4). Interns' evaluations of their placement sites are kept by the HDC Program; evaluations of both supervisors are kept by the HDC Convener.

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