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Students

Getting Involved
The NCSB-ODU Clinic welcomes all ODU counseling student inquiries regarding working at this clinic.

Master's Level Practicum Students
All master's level practicum students with a community counseling, mental health counseling or college counseling focus must participate in a group interview at the Olney Road Counseling Center the semester before being accepted into the clinic. All potential applicants will be notified of the group interview beforehand via email. Group interview dates are tentatively set as follows:

For Summer: March 16, 10:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m.
For Fall: June 15th 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Master's Level Internship
Master's counseling students interested in completing their internship at the clinic are encouraged to contact the Clinic Directors via email or phone at least 2 months before the beginning of the next semester to notify them of their interest.

Doctoral Students
Doctoral students interested in volunteering or completing practicum at the NCSB-ODU are expected to offer at least 7 hours a week of service including staff meeting attendance, and 1.5 hours of clinical supervision with the ODU Clinical Coordinator or other designated faculty member.  They are required fill out an application form available from the ODU Clinical Coordinator as well as a volunteer application for the NCSB by the following dates:

For Summer: March 1st
For Fall: July 1st
For Spring: November 1st

Background Check (forms)
All students/volunteers must have a National Criminal History Background Check and Social Services Central Registry Search.  Continued service with the Norfolk CSB/ODU Olney Road Counseling Center will be contingent on the results of these investigations.

All practicum/internship students and volunteers are expected to notify their Supervisors of arrests and/or convictions within five (5) business days of the event. The Supervisor, Human Resources Officer, and/or Director of Administration shall determine the job relatedness of the event and identify what action, if any is needed.  The follow constitute instances that should be reported:

  • Conviction of a felony, sex offense involving moral turpitude or other related criminal offense.
  • Dishonesty.
  • Conduct unbecoming an employee of the Norfolk CSB/ODU Olney Road Counseling Center.
  • Physical or mental incapability to perform prescribed duties in an adequate manner.

NCSB Student Intern/Volunteer Form
Upon acceptance into the clinic, all students are required to complete an NCSB Student Intern/Volunteer application and bring it on the day of their background check to the Human Resources Department.

What to expect when working at the clinic

 Routine
Students generally work around 10 hours a week, broken into two shifts: 8:30 to 1:30 and 1:00 to 6:00 p.m. (internship students may work between 10 and 20 hours a week).  Daily responsibilities include individual and group counseling sessions, walk-in screenings, intake assessments, shadowing of doctoral students and licensed clinicians, completing progress notes and treatment plans, and attending site supervision.

Professionalism
It is the policy of the NCSB-ODU Clinic to expect all practicum/internship students and volunteers to behave in a professional and mature manner. Those working at the clinic not only represent Old Dominion University, but the Norfolk Community Services Board as well.  Additionally, a significant training aspect includes learning how to appropriately and ethically interact with peers, colleagues, supervisors as well as clients.

Supervision
All students are expected to participate in weekly site supervision, which is both administrative and clinical in nature.  Students may also meet bi-weekly with licensed professional clinicians on staff for additional clinical supervision.

Training
Mandatory training and orientation occurs during the first week of each semester on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Training attendance is essential to the success of every student working at the clinic.  Training topics include: documentation and treatment planning, orientation to the NCSB, policies and procedures, computer training, crisis intervention, suicide assessment, Transtheoretical Stages of Change, and intake interviewing.

Other programs involved
Students may collaborate and consult with NCSB employees from other services that clients are concurrently receiving (e.g. case management, crisis stabilization, psychiatric services, supportive living, etc.).

Staff Meetings
Full staff meetings, including all the directors and all the ODU clinicians in the clinic, will be held weekly.  During these meetings, in addition to administrative announcements and discussions of logistical issues in the clinic, we will conduct on-going clinical training and will facilitate individual case conceptualizations for clinical review.