Guidance for Clinical Site Supervisors

Thank you for your willingness to serve as a clinical site supervisor for our program! Your guidance is crucial in molding the next generation of clinical mental health counselors as you provide them valuable real-life experiences. On this page, you will find additional information about the program requirements for our students, guidelines to follow as a site supervisor, and the expectations for supervision.

Practicum Site Requirements

Counselor trainees can be placed only in sites that have an active approved Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Redlands. Criteria that are used in determining site eligibility include the following:

The availability of supervisors who meet the qualifications as specified below and work on-site.
The site’s willingness to permit Counselor Trainees to audio or videotape their work and to (a) use those recordings in their on-site supervision and (b) permit the use of those recordings in the CMHC 699 practicum courses.
The site may not be a private practice setting.
The site is a clinical setting or community mental health setting that lawfully and regularly provides mental health counseling or psychotherapy.

Site Supervisor Requirements

Counselor trainees must be assigned to a site supervisor who has the appropriate qualifications. Per the Board of Behavioral Sciences’ Statutes and Regulations, a qualified supervisor:

has held an active license for at least two years within the five-year period immediately preceding any supervision as either:
- A licensed professional clinical counselor, licensed marriage and family therapist, licensed psychologist, licensed clinical social worker, licensed educational psychologist*, or equivalent out of-state license OR a physician and surgeon who is certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
has practiced psychotherapy, provided psychological counseling, or provided direct clinical supervision of psychotherapy for at least two years within the five-year period immediately preceding any supervision.
has sufficient experience, training, and education in the area of clinical supervision to competently supervise associates.
has not provided therapeutic services to the Counselor Trainee.
has a current and valid license that is not under suspension or probation.
is not a spouse, domestic partner, or relative of the Counselor Trainee.
does not currently have or previously had a personal, professional, or business relationship with the supervisee that undermines the authority or effectiveness of the supervision.

*A licensed educational psychologist may only supervise the provision of educationally related mental health services that are consistent with the scope of practice of an educational psychologist.

Site Supervisor Responsibilities

To provide appropriate and qualified training opportunities for the counselor trainee to complete the direct and indirect hour requirements for the program. The counselor trainee should be provided with the adequate workspace and staff support to conduct professional activities appropriate to the placement. Under the supervision of a qualified site supervisor and in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Behavioral Sciences, professional clinical training experiences should include but are not limited to: case conceptualization, individual and group counseling, psychotherapeutic treatment, diagnosis, assessment, psychoeducation, health and wellness promotion, and career counseling.
To ensure the counselor trainee does not commence hours at the site, including orientation or training, without a fully executed practicum partnership agreement with the University of Redlands.
To properly select and screen clients that are appropriate for the counselor trainee to work with. When working with clients, the counselor trainee should be provided with emergency protocols and be assisted in cases of emergencies, possible dangers, and needed referrals.
To be physically present whenever the counselor trainee is on site or to be available via video/phone for consultation when telehealth services are being provided. In rare instances when the assigned site supervisor is unavailable, an individual holding the same qualifications as the site supervisor may be designated as the substitute site supervisor. Should such an arrangement extend more than two weeks, the Office of Licensures and Credentialing (olc@redlands.edu) should be notified.
To provide the counselor trainee with the minimum required number of supervision hours each week (see supervision requirements section below). This involves the monitoring of practicum activities via the use of audio/video recordings, review of case records, observations, or collaborative service delivery.
To collaborate with the counselor trainee as they establish goals at the beginning of the term, complete a formal evaluation of the counselor trainee once per term using forms initiated by the counselor trainee, and ensure the counselor trainee is making adequate progress to complete and log their practicum hours appropriately. This includes approving the counselor trainee's hour logs weekly.
To support the training objectives of the clinical mental health counseling program and maintain the skills and knowledge necessary for supervising and guiding the skill development of counselor trainees.
To provide the counselor trainee with training in policies, procedures, and safety precautions before conducting off-site (home) visits. The site is expected to assign experienced individuals to accompany the counselor trainee (in pairs or a team) for off-site visits. Counselor trainees cannot conduct home visits alone.
To notify the Office of Licensures and Credentialing (olc@redlands.edu) if the counselor trainee presents with any concerning behaviors, including ethical violations and unprofessional behavior. The OLC should also be notified if there are any changes to the counselor trainee's practicum placement, such as a change in supervisor or start/end dates.

Supervision & Evaluation Requirements

The mentorship and supervision provided by site supervisors are essential for facilitating practical, relevant, and meaningful field experiences for counselor trainees.

As a site supervisor, you are required to meet with your counselor trainee for a minimum of one hour (1) of supervision for every five hours (5) of client contact.

One hour (1) of direct supervision means one hour (1) of face-to-face contact on an individual basis OR two hours (2) of face-to-face contact in a group setting. The group may be not exceed a total of 8 trainees and must be in segments lasting no less than one continuous hour.

Each semester, counselor trainees will complete a Practicum Goals Form for their practicum site(s). This involves collaborating with you to establish goals that align with both the counselor trainee's individual needs and the needs of the practicum site. Together, you will identify activities that will aid the counselor trainee in achieving those goals.

You will conduct a formal evaluation of your counselor trainee's progress and performance at the conclusion of the semester. The Final Evaluation takes place around week 14 of the semester.