The ADS Internship Experience has been designed to give each student a practical experience in the alcohol and drug studies field. The internship experience is a total of twelve semester credits (880 clock hours). During the internship experience, the student will be expected to:
Ultimately, interns are expected to gain experience in each of the Twelve Core Functions of alcohol and drug counselors which will assist them in professional growth and preparation as well as pursuit of professional credentialing.
All internship sites must be approved by the ADS Coordinator prior to the student beginning the internship. Internship sites should meet the following criteria:
Interns are accountable to two supervisors during the internship: the Internship Site Supervisor and the Alcohol and Drug Studies (ADS) Internship Coordinator. Ongoing quality feedback and supervision by an experienced and qualified professional is a crucial component of a useful learning experience.
If you believe you are not getting appropriate feedback and supervision, it is your initial responsibility to express your concerns to your supervisor. Your concerns should additionally be reported to the ADS Internship Coordinator. Supervision issues might include:
The Internship Site Supervisor will be asked to complete two Progress Reports and a Final Evaluation during the course of the internship. The supervision and evaluation process should be a developmental process. Accordingly, it is expected that the Internship Site Supervisor should review each of the completed forms with the Student Intern and provide them feedback. If this does not happen automatically; ask. It is your right to review and provide input for the Progress Reports and Final Evaluation. If you are refused the right to participate in this process, please contact the ADS Coordinator to report the matter.
The first Progress Report be completed in the beginning stages of the internship to establish a baseline of the Student Intern's skills. The second Progress Report should be completed at the midpoint of the internship. The Final Evaluation should be completed once the Student Intern has finished the entirety of their hours.
The following grading policies apply to the internship experience:
It sometimes becomes apparent to a Site Supervisor or the ADS Coordinator that a student intern's personal issues or a deficit in their professional skills are interfering with his/her ability to be effectively function as a professional. Should this happen, it is important for you, your Site Supervisor, and the ADS Coordinator, to meet to help you find an appropriate solution to resolve the issue. Interns who are experiencing personal issues may be encouraged to take a leave of absence from the internship while they pursue options to resolve the issue.
If there is a determination that the Student Intern is unable to complete the internship due to inadequate skills, the ADS Internship Coordinator will contact the Student Intern and Site Supervisor to discuss the concern. The ADS Internship Coordinator reserves the right to award a grade of No Credit for the internship experience. However, the ADS Internship Coordinator may work with the student to develop a development plan (i.e. additional coursework or training, volunteerism, mentoring, etc.) to assist the student Intern in completing his or her internship experience. The ADS Internship Coordinator may also choose to relocate the Student Intern to an alternate site that is more consistent with his or her skill level.
If there is a determination that a Student Intern is unable to complete the internship due to personal issues (i.e. inability to maintain sobriety, mental health issues, family issues, etc.), the ADS Internship Coordinator will contact the Student Intern and Site Supervisor to discuss the concern. The ADS Internship Coordinator reserves the right to award a grade of No Credit for the internship experience. However, in compelling circumstances, the ADS Coordinator may work with the student to develop and appropriate alternative solution. Student Interns who are experiencing a personal issue which impairs their ability to function in their assigned roles, may be encouraged to take a leave of absence from the internship while they pursue options to resolve the issue.
If a Student Intern is terminated from his or her internship site, he or she will automatically be awarded a grade of No Credit unless otherwise negotiated with with ADS Internship Coordinator.
The Student Intern must complete the following tasks prior to the internship.
Schedule a Pre–Internship Orientation Meeting with the ADS Coordinator at least one semester in advance of the policies, procedures, and expectaions for the internship experience.
Complete a Program Requirement Checklist in conjunction with the ADS Coordinator.
Develop a draft resume (Assistance may be obtained through the Career Development Center ).
Identify an internship site that meets student needs and expectations for a quality internship experience.
Prepare a Goal Statement and Objectives for the internship experience in cooperation with the Site Supervisor.
Submit the completed Site Approval Form with appropriate signatures to the ADS Internship Coordinator. Permission to register for HLTH 497/697 will not be granted until the Site Approval Form has been submitted. An original copy is required.
Student must register for a total of 12 credit hours of HTLH 497/697 once permission is granted.
Students are responsible for carrying their own professional liability insurance for the duration of the internship experience. Students will be required to carry professional liability insurance in the minimum amount of $1,000,000 each claim/$3,000,000 annual aggregate. Liability insurance is available through the Minnesota State University, Mankato Cashiers Office.
Students are encouraged to carry their own health insurance.
The Student Intern must complete the following tasks during the internship.
Maintain a daily Journal.
Maintain a daily Log of Hours.
Submit a bi–weekly Summary Statement to the ADS Coordinator (a copy of you Log of Hours and any significant events or issues that have occurred).
Complete a minimum of 880 clock hours of internship experience.
Complete a minimum of 10 hours in each of the Core Functions.
Act as a responsible and reliable "employee" during the internship experience.
Coordinate with the ADS Coordinator to schedule an Internship Site Visit.
The Student Intern must complete the following tasks upon completion of the internship. All final submissions must be submitted in printed form.
Submit a Final Report.
Submit a comprehensive copy of your Log of Hours.
Submit a final copy of your daily Journal.
Submit an Internship Verification Form, completed in conjunction with the Site Supervisor. An original copy is required.
Notify the ADS Coordinator when you believe that you have completed all of the necessary requirements.
The Site Supervisor is encouraged to provide a range of learning opportunities and experiences while giving constructive feedback to the student intern. Specific responsibilities of the Site Supervisor include:
Assist the Student Intern in developing a Goal Statement and Objectives to be experienced while on site (i.e., goal statement: to gain an understanding of and appreciation for overall mission of the organization; objectives include specific tasks, projects, activities the student intern is to work on in meeting the goal statement).
Assist the student in achieving established Goal Statement and Objectives.
Provide or coordinate supervision for the Student Intern (i.e. regular meeting times arranged to discuss progress and provide feedback). Supervision is expected to be consistent and ongoing. A minimum of one hour of supervision for every 40 hours of practice is recommended.
Complete a minimum of two Progress Reports. The first is to be completed toward the beginning of the internship. The second is to be completed at the midpoint of the internship.
Complete a Final Evaluation that provides feedback on the total internship experience.
Sign the Internship Verification form.
Help arrange for phone conferences and site visit meetings with the ADS Internship Coordinator regarding progress and evaluation of the Student Internship Experience.
When necessary, serve as a facilitator for signing of the Minnesota State University, Mankato Internship Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by the participating internship site.
Although the Site Supervisor provides most direct supervision, the ADS Coordinator will:
Conduct a Pre-Internship Orientation Meeting with each student entering the internship experience.
Review the Student Intern's draft resume.
Assist the Student Intern with site selection.
Review the Student Intern's Goal Statement and Objectives.
Process the Internship Site Approval Form.
Send out a fully executed copy of the Site Approval Form to the Site Supervisor.
Review sumbitted Summary Statements, Logs of Hours, and Daily Journals and provide feedback as needed.
Be available for consultations with the Student Intern and Site Supervisor as needed.
Maintain rapport and improve public relations with the Internship Site.
Complete a site visit for each student (coordinated with the student's assistance).
Review all completed internship requirements and award a grade as appropriate.
