College of Education Counseling Program Faculty implemented a new pilot program this year called School-Based Practicum under the direction of Dr. Diane Parfitt and graduate assistant Hannah Hyde. The program is in coordination with the traditional counseling practicum experience, the capstone activity for advanced counseling students in the College of Education, and the Ypsilanti Public Schools.
School-Based Practicum is a new opportunity for counseling students, who plan to work with children and adolescents, to clinically counsel students in a school setting. These counselors-in-training (CIT’s) work at Ypsilanti High School and/or East Middle School counseling students both during and after school. Fifteen of 40 required practicum counseling hours can be conducted in the schools and the remainder of the training hours are conducted in the College of Education state-of-the-art Counseling Clinic in the John W. Porter Building.
There has been a great deal of excitement surrounding the implementation of this program. Coordinating with school personnel, finding the space to counsel and scheduling each session proved to be challenging for all involved. Service to the young people of Ypsilanti and their families, however, was the great payoff making everyone’s efforts worthwhile.
During the semester, eight CIT’s worked at the schools and counseled 21 different students. The collaboration between EMU and Ypsilanti Schools was outstanding and made the project come to fruition.
School-Based Practicum coordinator, Dr. Parfitt commented, “I know that many students have been helped this semester who may not have received services otherwise. At the same time, CIT’s have participated in an extremely valuable learning experience. We have received verbal feedback from teachers, parents, administrators and student clients that this program has been very beneficial.” While the program is just in its pilot phase, it appears that all signs point to the potential for making the School-Based Practicum experience a permanent opportunity for all counselors-in-training at EMU.