Practicum and Internship Placement Resources, Supervisors and Support

Clinical Training
National University (NU) is a leader in online and distance-based Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) education. NU’s Master’s degree program in MFT was the first primarily distance-based MFT program to receive COAMFTE accreditation. The doctoral program was the first distance-based program accredited by COAMFTE and the first program approved by AAMFT to offer the AAMFT Approved Supervision course in a distance-based format. The MFT program is one of the few programs today that do not require a local residency, meaning students are not required to travel to complete the academic course work.

The MFT Training Team works with students to locate appropriate clinical training opportunities in their local areas. We recognize that not all applicants live in areas that have the behavioral health infrastructure necessary to complete the clinical training required for the NU MFT programs, In rare cases students may elect to relocate during the clinical training portion of their program to complete this requirement. We recognize that for some students locating and securing a placement site and supervisor can be a challenging, and at times stressful process. The following information is designed to help applicants and students understand the process of securing a site and supervisor.

Program Application Process
During the application process MFT applicants are asked to research potential placement sites and supervisors in their local area. Applicants that live in more remote areas or have fewer options are strongly encouraged to spend more time and effort contacting potential placement sites to determine if they will be able to secure a position during their clinical training.

The application packet has multiple resources that can be helpful to potential students. In certain cases, support of the Director of Training Outreach (DTO) will be needed. To start the application process and review these resources, visit the MAMFT Application Packet or the PhDMFT and MDFT Application Packet.

Clinical Preparation Process
The Clinical Preparation Process (CPP) at National University involves two separate, but parallel processes: 1) Clinical Readiness, and 2) Site and Supervisor Vetting and Contracting. Both processes are designed to ensure that the sites, supervisors, and clinical experiences are the best fit for NU students. While students are ultimately responsible for securing clinical sites and supervisors, the NU clinical faculty and staff bring to bear considerable experience, comprehensive support, and tremendous resources in facilitating the identification, vetting of, and contracting with agencies and supervisors. Additionally, the Director of Training Outreach (DTO) is available to support students who reside in areas with little or no viable site options.

Clinical Readiness
The Clinical Readiness processes help to ensure that students are clinically prepared to provide clinical services to clients and includes the completion of a Clinical Readiness Quiz, providing documentation of Liability Insurance, and verification that all necessary resources have been reviewed to ensure that you will be able to participate fully in the training experience. When the Clinical Readiness activities and the Site and Supervisor Vetting and Contracting are completed, the student, the site representative, and local supervisor will receive an email with information on the student’s date of eligibility to start engaging in direct clinical contact with clients.

Site & Supervisor Vetting & Contracting
The Site & Supervisor Vetting & Contracting process is designed to facilitate the vetting and contracting with clinical training sites and local supervisors. Once students have secured a site and supervisor, they complete tasks in the electronic clinical tracking system. Students are responsible for initiating tasks, some of which are completed by the site representative and some of which are completed by the Local Supervisor. Guides are provided to assist with completing these tasks in the electronic clinical tracking system.

Additional Resources for Students
The Marriage and Family Sciences Department is constantly improving its ability to provide students with the foremost clinical experience in MFT training. Currently, students have access to resources in the MFT Clinical Support module for tips, program information, and guides; and Career Services for resume and interviewing assistance.

Sites and Supervisors Interested in Collaborating with NU
As noted above NU has created and maintains a comprehensive database of potential clinical placement sites. If you are an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, an Approved Supervisor Candidate, or if you are qualified to supervise MFTs for licensure in your state and are interested in working with NU to provide supervision to currently enrolled MFT students, please send an email to [email protected].

If you work at, own, or manage a clinical placement site that accepts MFT students completing their Master’s or Doctoral degree and are interested in becoming an approved placement site for our students, please send an email to [email protected].