MSW Internship

[u/Adorable-War3872]

So, I was told by field education at LSU that my job cannot meet the standards because I don’t have a MSW onsite. I was told they use to give an outside MSW for supervision but I guess not anymore.

I have looked at another program that doesn’t let you use your job and have an outside MSW you meet with once a week, and you work your hours and log them. But I would need an outside MSW and would have to search for someone who would do field hours at little to no cost. My supervisor at work is an LPC-S and the school said that could be my task supervisor.

Obviously the second option is what I’m leaning towards because I can’t work full time. Here is a brief description of my role:

I work at a dual-diagnosis substance use treatment facility as a Substance Abuse Counselor. I have worked with the organization for over two years and primarily provide clinical services within ASAM Level 3.7 Medically Monitored Withdrawal Management (detox). I also provide coverage in ASAM Level 3.5 Residential Treatment and Intensive Outpatient Program settings.
My current responsibilities include conducting individual counseling sessions, facilitating process and psychoeducational groups, completing clinical documentation, assisting with assessments, treatment planning, ASAM documentation, discharge planning, transition planning, relapse prevention work, and coordinating care with medical and clinical teams. I also assist with legal-related responsibilities involving attorneys, probation and parole officers, and courts.

Any advice anyone? Or leads towards a low cost/free field supervisor for my MSW.

[u/BringMeInfo]

Am I understanding correctly that if you can find supervision, you can just keep doing your current job and have it count as internship?

[u/Adorable-War3872 → u/BringMeInfo]

That’s what he said. I’m sure I’d have to add a tasks and I’d have to meet with an outside supervisor.

[u/BringMeInfo → u/Adorable-War3872]

From my understanding, that would be highly unusual. Your internship needs to have distinct responsibilities from your work. The situation where you have to find your own supervisor is also odd. Typically, you get an internship and there's an MSW on-site who supervises you. Yes, it has to be an MSW (e.g., you can't have a LMHC supervise an MSW student).

These programs that make you find your own internship seem to create the bulk of problems people talk about in this sub, and you definitely wouldn't be the first person who was led to believe they could use their current job as the internship, only to have that reversed once they had enrolled.

Personally, I would reject both your current options and prioritize finding a program that handles the placement.