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SOC-OFE Site Supervisors: Types of Site Supervisors

Primary Site Supervisor

Required when?

All field experiences except for PhD-CES Internship experiences not in the Counseling domain

Duties

A complete list of primary supervisor duties for master's students can be found in the Counseling Masters' Programs Field Experience Manual and a complete list of primary supervisor duties for doctoral students can be foudnd in the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Field Experience Manual.

Time limited?

No. Approved as part of the student's application for a particular quarter or quarter(s).

Credentials

All site supervisors for master's students must meet the criteria listed in the Counseling Masters' Programs Field Experience Manual and all site supervisors for doctoral students must meet the criteria listed in the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Field Experience Manual.

Application Process

Meditrek application, submitted within the published application windows.

Temporary Site Supervisor

Required when?

Primary site supervisor is temporarily (2 weeks or less) out of the office

Duties

Assume ALL duties of the primary site supervisor during his/her absence. A complete list of primary supervisor duties for master's students can be found in the Counseling Masters' Programs Field Experience Manual and a complete list of primary supervisor duties for doctoral students can be foudnd in the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Field Experience Manual.

Time limited?

Up to 2 weeks

Credentials

All site supervisors for master's students must meet the criteria listed in the Counseling Masters' Programs Field Experience Manual and all site supervisors for doctoral students must meet the criteria listed in the PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Field Experience Manual.

Application Process

No formal application process. The following information must be sent in an email BEFORE seeing clients under the supervision of the temporary supervisor:

Temporary Supervisor Information:

  • Name
  • Phone Number
  • Email Address
  • Credentials (degree, license type)
  • Dates of supervision

Email should be sent to ALL of the following parties:

  • SOC-OFE
  • Faculty Supervisor (Instructor)
  • Primary Site Supervisor
  • Temporary Site Supervisor

Examples
  • Vacation
  • Short-term medical leave
  • Bereavement leave

Site-Approved Designee

Required when?

Walden-approved site supervisor is not physically on site while a School of Counseling student is present and working with clients.

Duties

Designees are only responsible for:

  • Being available to the student on-site when the School of Counseling student is seeing clients and the Walden-approved site supervisor is not physically present at the site
  • Engaging mental health and other emergency training and associated protocols of the site or profession.
  • Immediate mandated reporting as required by the law, site, and ethical guidelines.

Time limited?

No.

Credentials and Requirements
  • Designees must be mandated reporters (e.g. for immediate suicidal ideation) by their states’ or federal rules and regulations.
  • Designees must be trained in how to respond to mental health and other emergencies.
  • Designees must immediately respond to any request for assistance from the School of Counseling student if the site supervisor is not on site.
  • Designees must immediately attend to all mental health emergencies or other crises that impact the School of Counseling student or their clients.
  • Site Supervisors must always be available by phone or other immediate mode of communication when not physically on-site while  the School of Counseling student is present.

Application Process

None. The site is responsible for identifying a designee, communicating with the student who the individual is and how to immediately contact them.

Examples
  • Supervisor is often called away to other sites. Another licensed clinician is on-site while the student is seeing clients.
  • Student needs to see clients on a day that the supervisor is not regularly scheduled to be there, but a Psychiatrist is in the building with patients.
  • A school counselor is available at another campus within the school district and is not onsite while the student is seeing clients. The school nurse is an RN and can act in such an emergency.
  • Student is seeing clients in their homes, and a mental health case worker accompanies the student.