Frequently Asked Questions
How do I advertise my site?
We post sites in two locations, and also host two internship fairs per year (typically spring and fall). Your site will be listed in Supervision Assist, where contact information and a short description is available. A lengthier description of your site can also be posted on an internally-facing website which our students use as a directory. We can only post copy that you create, so you can email a description of your site to MA_clinicaltraining.aus@antioch.edu . Ideally, please tell us:
The name as you would like it listed
A contact person, and email
A description of your site (mission, population, focus areas, etc.)
A brief description of the internship experience (caseload, hours, focus, etc.)
The application process and/or deadlines (keep in mind your posting may stay up year-to-year, so “we interview in March” may be better than “March 14th, 2024”)
If you are looking for any specialties: sex therapy, addictions counseling, play therapy, art therapy, drama therapy, CFT/relational therapy.
We typically send save-the-dates and invitations to the internship fair to any supervisor listed in Supervision Assist. You may also email the address above.
What is the scope of an intern?
Interns are on site primarily as learners. Counseling and therapy interns should be devoting most of their time to client care, with time available for charting, training, supervision, and staff meetings. Administrative work such as advertising, outreach, and other office management should be kept to a minimum. As the intern onboards and develops skill, the goal is to introduce them to the whole scope of practice for their future license. As such, as they become ready, the intern should be given a caseload for which they have primary responsibility as the clinician, are learning new skills, and are growing their scope of competence.
The U.S. Department of Labor has some guidelines which you may find helpful for understanding interns versus employees.
Can we pay our intern a stipend?
Yes. Interns can be paid an hourly or monthly stipend. We ask that all financial agreements be transparent at the beginning of the internship, that interns are made aware of any tax liability implications, and that financial agreements be shared with the University so that we can help our students make appropriate choices for themselves. Students should not be treated as employees.
What should we do if our intern is not getting enough hours?
For a site to be considered full time, the caseload should be 8-10 client contact hours per week. If your site is unable to provide that many clients, you may wish to advertise as a part-time site. If you are transparent and clear about expectations, you may find a number of interns interested in part-time work, especially if they need to supplement another site.
If you intended to be full time but are having trouble getting enough clients, please try to work with the intern as early as possible. Creative solutions could include starting a group, co-counseling opportunities, longer sessions with appropriate clients, seeing clients twice weekly as needed, offering between session check-ins, or offering psychoeducation workshops.
Interns who consistently struggle to get enough hours may ultimately seek another site, so this is an important component of the internship experience to monitor.
Can we reassign the intern to a new supervisor if needed?
If a supervisor leaves or an intern needs to be reassigned, please ensure that the new supervisor meets all required criteria. The intern will then initiate a new contract within Supervision Assist and the new supervisor will sign on. The intern should not see clients under the responsibility of the new supervisor until this contract is signed. Once signed, the new supervisor will approve all hours and take responsibility for the intern.
Can we use our own supervision agreements and contracts?
Yes. You may ask the intern to sign supervision agreements and work agreements with your site. Please be aware that our affiliation agreement between the two institutions cannot be overridden by any private agreements you make with the intern. Please also be aware that as interns, you cannot require that they work outside of their scope, that they commit to working beyond graduation (post-graduation job offers are separate from internship), or other requirements which violate our affiliation agreement. You may ask interns for a certain amount of notice before they leave a position, but we will not compel them to stay in an environment that is not suitable for learning, in which they feel unsafe, in which there is insufficient supervision, or if their health or another personal situation means they must leave. We will do everything possible to ensure clients are not abandoned and get a smooth transition, but internship sites should not rely solely upon interns for serving their clients and should be able to accommodate their own clients if an intern leaves on short notice.
What should we do if things are not working out?
Please reach out to the case consultation instructor as soon as possible. We would like to work with you on a corrective action plan which serves the needs of your agency, your clients, and the student's learning. The faculty will work with the student on skills, professional development, and other concerns. Certain issues may also be escalated to the intern’s advisor and/or department chair and a Student Development Plan may be enacted, to better support their learning. If an intern is in jeopardy of being dismissed from the site, please contact the instructor and/or Director of Clinical Training to discuss before terminating the internship.
Our student conduct policy can be reviewed here.
Can Antioch help us find more interns if we have open spaces?
Yes! We often have interns looking for sites on short notice, such as after another site falls through, or part-time sites if their primary site is short on hours. If you have availability and would like someone soon, please reach out to the Director of Clinical training to have your position highlighted on our internal website as a site looking immediately. We can also often introduce you directly to someone who would be a good fit.
Can we post a job opening with Antioch?
We are happy to post job openings for associates/new grads on our internally-facing website for students. You may email your job posting to MA_clinicaltraining.aus@antioch.edu. Your posting will be active for 30 days.