Clinical Mental Health Counseling Master's Program - Internship Information

Application:

Application is no longer required.

Orientation Meeting:

All students planning to take internship in Fall must attend an orientation meeting which is held during the Spring. Please check News and Announcements on the counseling Web page for date, time, and location of the meeting.

Course Work:

The program faculty strongly recommend that students have the majority of their coursework completed before completing their field experiences. The following courses, completed with a B or better, are pre-requisites for CNS 686 Clinical Mental Health Counseling Internship:

Site Placement:

Interns are responsible for selecting and obtaining their internship site. This is to provide students the opportunity and flexibility to find a site most suited for their unique needs (e.g., geographic location, work requirements, family responsibilities, etc.)

Supervisor Qualifications:

The supervisor must be an Ohio Licensed/Certified School Counselor with at least 2 years of experience as a school counselor.

Site Requirements:

Intern must earn 600 total hours total in two semester. This equates to 300 (120 direct; 180 indirect) hours per semester. These 600 hours must include 240 direct service hours and 360 indirect service hours. This equates to 20 hours on site of which 8 should be direct hours. 

Intern must be able to record at least 6 counseling sessions. The client and/or guardian must sign the Consent to Record Form prior to beginning the recording.  

Class Requirements:

Insurance:

All students in the program are required to have liability insurance for the duration of practicum. Most professional organizations include liability insurance in their student memberships.

Some suggested insurance carriers are: American Counseling Association (ACA)
American Mental Health Counseling Association (AMHCA)
Other related professional associations

Insurance Companies:

 

Internship Forms to Be Completed:

Form 1 - CMHC Internship Checklist	Form 5 - Hours Log
Form 2 - Site Placement Form (Due first class)	Form 6 - CMHC Consent Form
(Due first class)	Form 7 - CMHC Internship Student Evaluation.pdf
Form 4 - Liability Verification Form (Due first class)	Form 8 - CMHC & SC Internship Evaluation of Site.pdf
Site Placement List
Site Supervisor -  Session Review Form

Licensing Requirements CMHC:

Please check the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapy Board Web page for required paperwork for Counselor Trainee (CT) status and other paperwork. You are eligible to take the National Counselor Examination (NCE) during your final semester of classwork. NOTE: If you are terminated from your internship site, this may be considered an automatic failure to complete internship requirements. You must complete internship successfully, in addition to other coursework, to graduate.

NCE Exam Registration Steps
Required Steps for Completion of PC Licensure

Implications for Criminal Record on Field Placements and Licensure

Students must take personal responsibility to inform themselves of the potential professional implications if they have a history of a criminal convictions on their legal record. For Clinical Mental Health Counseling students, The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, & Marriage and Family Therapist (OCSWMFT) Board Laws and Rules specifically state:

"(D) Applicants for any license or certificate of registration issued by the board shall be of good moral character. The board may, in its discretion, deny any application for licensure or certification if the board finds that the applicant was convicted of, pled guilty to, or pled no contest to a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or for acts committed, which would constitute a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, if committed in Ohio. The board shall consider the number and timing of any convictions and the relationship those convictions may have to the practice for which the applicant has made application for licensure or certification. The board shall consider an applicant's fitness to practice a part of the good moral character requirements. The board at its discretion may request any of the following to help determine good moral character and fitness to practice: a criminal records check, a criminal background check or a psychological evaluation."

Additionally, students are required to obtain a background check that is shared with potential practicum and internship sites. Therefore, field placements site positions may also be impacted by a criminal conviction history. Students are encouraged to speak with their academic advisor, OCSWMFT Board, and/or ODE if they have a criminal conviction on their legal record that may impact their field placements and/or licensure in Ohio.