MSCMHC Field Placement

According to CACREP guidelines, counselors in training should have the following opportunities through their field placement experiences:

• Experience in individual and group interactions
• Opportunities for students to counsel clients representative of the ethnic, lifestyle, and demographic diversity of their community
• Involvement in a variety of professional activities in addition to direct service work
• Use of a variety of professional resources such as measurement instruments, computers, print and non-print media, professional literature, and research
• Application of the ethical code and guidelines of the American Counseling Association (ACA)
• Extensive supervision supported by observational and communications technologies

There are three important outcomes of a successful field placement experience for the student:

• It gives the student the opportunity to integrate and apply the fundamentals of the profession under the direction of qualified supervisors.
• It forms the basis for the transition from the student role to the role of the professional counselor.
• It shapes future employment by developing skills in working with particular client populations, in particular counseling modalities, and/or with particular presenting problems. The Director of Field Placement will assist all participating students through these experiences.