Assessment Practicum Track
The Assessment Practicum Track at the Counseling and Mental Health Center (CMHC) at UT Austin is a 2-semester, advanced practicum experience that is located on the main floor of the CMHC (SSB 5th floor) and the Sanchez Building training clinic. This practicum provides training in administering comprehensive psychological assessment, diagnosis, and integrated report writing with the UT student population. The goal of this practicum is to provide training and supervision in the following areas:
- Developing skills for deciding on appropriate assessments based on referral questions.
- Structured clinical diagnostic interviews
- Providing a range of formal psychological assessment tools for intellectual functioning, diagnostic symptoms, personality/mood, etc.
- Developing skills for interpreting assessment results and treatment recommendations
- Developing skills for diagnostic assessment and differential diagnosis
- Working competently and compassionately with providing assessment feedback
- Developing skills for working with a multidisciplinary professional staff in a large university counseling center.
Structure of the Assessment Practicum
The Assessment Practicum at CMHC consists primarily of providing formal psychological assessment for students who have been referred for ADHD, LD and diagnostic clarification. The typical amount of direct clinical service time is a minimum of 8 hours per week, 2 hours of supervision, and additional time for administrative tasks such as report writing. There will be opportunities for individual and group counseling experiences in order to provide some variety of experience and ensure enough clinical service hours are obtained. Including direct clinical services, supervision, seminar, and administrative time, the total minimum commitment to the practicum is 13 hours per week. (Please note that the specific structure of the practicum is subject to change)
Individual Counseling Experience and Supervision
Some individual counseling hours may be provided in addition to assessment hours. The CMHC provides brief individual counseling to UT students. Most courses of treatment are short-term counseling, and some clients may be seen longer. Practicum students will consult with their supervisors regarding which students to work with beyond short-term needs. Practicum students also meet with some clients for one-time-only single sessions. In the fall semester, each practicum student is supervised by a CMHC psychologist. During the spring semester, practicum students might be supervised directly by a psychology intern who is under the supervision of a psychologist.
Group Intervention Experience and Supervision
Although the primary focus of this track is on providing assessments, there may be opportunities to participate as a co-leader for a group experience offered at CMHC in lieu of individual counseling hours. The commitment would include receiving one additional hour of supervision weekly related to the provision of group counseling. The group intervention portion of the practicum is optional, and availability is dependent on the number of groups and co-leaders during any given semester.
Time Allocation for the Counseling Assessment Track at CMHC
| Activity | Time Allotted | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum | Maximum | |
| Direct Clinical Services (Assessment and Individual Counseling) | 8 hrs | Open |
| Individual Supervision | 2 hrs | 2 hrs |
| Practicum Seminar | 1.5 hrs | 1.5 hrs |
| Administrative Tasks | 3 hrs | Open |
| Totals | 14.5 hrs | Open |