Criteria and Responsibilities

1. A Master's Degree in social work and NYS License (either LMSW or LCSW, as appropriate to the setting / level of intern's clinical responsibilities)
2. Willing to meet the stated Practicum Educator Responsibilities
3. Be free of any professional sanctions by NASW
4. Two years post master's social work experience (preferred)

1. Attend an orientation session provided by the School (required for all new practicum educators).
2. Provide the student with an orientation to the agency, including information on safety protocol, HIPAA requirements, or other regulations specific to practicum site.
3. Provide suitable workspace.
4. Coordinate the involvement of other agency staff with the student's learning experience.
5. Develop, with the student, a learning contract which reflects the learning opportunities and activities to meet the learning objectives and expected outcomes identified by the school.
6. Provide a minimum of one hour per week of supervision in order to provide feedback, education and role modeling.
7. Review course syllabi provided by student in order to assist in the integration of practicum and academic experiences.
8. Identify assignments to help the foundation year student learn a broad range of social work interventions and/or Advanced Year students to experience activities related to their area of Advanced Year.
9. Provide ongoing evaluation of the student throughout the practicum and to provide feedback on progress toward meeting their identified objectives.
10. Notify the faculty liaison of any problems or questions as soon as they become evident.
11. Complete and submit, by the designated time, a written mid-practicum and final evaluation of the student's progress.
12. Ensure that the student completes the minimum required hours for the practicum.
13. Attend training seminars provided by the Practicum Education Department.
14. Participate in three-way conferences with the student and faculty liaison during the practicum.
15. Abide by the NASW Code of Ethics.

1. The ethics and values of social work should be demonstrated through the policies, program design and delivery of services of the agency.

2. The agency must be willing to support an educational focus for students providing social work experiences that will meet the learning objectives identified by the school.

3. The agency contact person is expected to complete the Agency Profile Form to provide a written description of the agency including types of student assignments available.

4. The agency must provide adequate space for the student.

5. The agency will provide professionals qualified to provide practicum instruction.

6. The agency will support practicum education staff time availability to provide a minimum of one hour per week of supervision, to attend practicum educator orientations, training and faculty liaison conferences.

1. The quality of the learning experience.

2. The quality of the communication between the agency and the school.

3. Program or personnel changes that would affect student learning.

4. School of Social Work curriculum changes that would affect student learning.

5. Practicum Educator attendance at practicum education training sessions/workshops.

Monitoring the quality of practicum education is an ongoing process that is accomplished via personal and telephone contact between the Practicum Education Department staff, faculty liaison and the practicum educator. Students provide feedback to the Practicum Education Department through the Student Evaluation of Practicum Practicum Experience Form completed at the end of their practicum experience.  Additional meetings may be scheduled between agency and Practicum Education Department staff to address areas of concern and to evaluate the appropriateness of an agency to continue as a field site.