CaliforniaStateUniversity, Sacramento

Division of Social Work

MEMORANDUM

DATE:January 28, 2011

FROM:Jill Kelly, LCSW, Director of Field Education

TO:MSW students entering second year of field

SUBJECT:Placement Process,2011 – 2012Academic Year

The process for obtaining a second year placement has begun. This year, you will be able specify the agencies with whom you would like to interview. To make this choice, you should think carefully about the following:

  1. In which level of social work practice am I most interested?
  2. Micro level (practice with individuals and families). Do I want my placement to emphasize advanced case management,counseling and therapy, or wellness and recovery?
  3. Mezzo practice (groups)
  4. Macro (organizations, communities). Am I interested in lobbying, policy analysis, community organizing and advocacy, legislative analysis, and/or administration?
  5. In whicharea of social work do I want to gain experience,e.g., health, mental health, child welfare, school-based, criminal justice, poverty and homelessness, alcohol and drug abuse, victim services, social justice, etc.
  6. With which populationsdo I want to work,e.g.,children and youth, adults, seniors, a specific ethnic population, veterans, disabled, LGBT, etc.
  7. Do I have a preference regarding the type of organization, e.g., public agency (city, county, or state), private non-profit, school, hospital, correctional setting, etc.
  8. How far am I willing to travel to my “ideal” placement?

Beginning February 24, at 5pm,download the 2011 – 2012Available Field Placements listing from the field website: by clicking on “Field Placements” link. Many of these agencies will be available for the 2011 – 2012academic year; however, the listingwill becontinuously updated.

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CaliforniaStateUniversity, Sacramento

Division of Social Work

The Field Faire will take place on Friday, February25, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm in the University Union Ballroom. Over 100 agencies will be represented at the Faire – it is a great place to discover the range of placements available. To make your visit most productive, you should research available agencies listed on the listing to determinethe ones you would like to connect with at the Faire. This event is not for the purpose of signing up for a placement, but rather to meet agency representatives and find out what the agency has to offer as a placement. However, not all placements can send a representative. Those agencies who want students, but cannot attend, will be indicated on the available placement listing.

BeginningMonday, February28, you will be able to download the MSW II Field Application from the field website “Forms” page. After deciding which three agencies you are most interested in, please returnthe completed field application to the wooden “Field Box” in the Social Work Office, Mariposa 4010, by Monday, March 7. All applications received by this deadline will receivepriority. A referral will be emailed to youbeginning Monday, March 14.

When listing choices for placement, please indicate whether you are open to receive a referral to any of the placements;or only your first choice (initially). If you choose the latter, the possibility of you competing for a placement with another student will be high. If you are not selected during or immediately after the interview, your second and third choices may not be available. We strongly recommend that you are open to acceptinga referral to any of your choices.

DATE / STEP IN PLACEMENT PROCESS
Today / Start thinking about your answers to the questions listed above. Review list of 2010 – 2011 Available Placements
Monday, February24 / Updated placement list available online
Friday, February25, 1:00–4:00pm
University Union Ballroom / Attend Field Faire
Monday, February28, 12noon / MSW II Field Application available online
Monday, March 7 / MSW II Field Application deadline, “Field Box” MRP 4010
Monday, March 14 / Begin to receive referral by email
March 16 – April30 / Interview with agencies for placement
Friday, April 15 / JC/JR Application deadline
Beginning of October / $20 Professional Liability Insurance fee

Three Referral Maximum

If you or the agency decline one another for placement after the interview, let the field staff know ASAP by indicating so on the MSW II Student Response Form, and by emailing Prof. Kelly at . You are eligible for a maximum of three referrals. If you are not successful in obtaining a placement after three interviews we will discuss whether or not you are ready for a second year field placement.

Time in the Field

MSW II students are in field Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Courses will be offered Thursdays and Fridays. You are discouraged from arranging different field days, since this will

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CaliforniaStateUniversity, Sacramento

Division of Social Work

make it difficult to schedule the classes needed. Expect to be in the field from 8:00am– 5:00pm. Some agencies require evening and occasional weekend work. Clarify these expectations during the interview.

When to Start Looking for aField Placement

The best opportunity to explore the broad range of placements is at the Field Faire on February 25. You can begin inquiring about placements, researching agencies, picking the brains of current second year students…but…you may not negotiate a placement until after you receive a referral. This policy makes the placement process as fair as possible for all students. If you do not follow this policy, you run the risk of having your placement disallowed.

If you are interested in a placement with an agency that is not on the Available Field Placementslist, contact me to determine whether it is an appropriate site.

If aPlacementFalls Through During the Summer

You should check in with your prospective field instructor during the first week of August to make sure no problems have occurred within the placement and to remind the agency of your start date (second week of fall semester). If you discover that the placement is no longer available, contact me immediately. I work through the summer so I will be able provide you with a new referral.

Criminal Background Checks

These are required by nearly all agencies. If you know that a background check might identify a problem that could affect your obtaining a placement, please let me know. I will make every effort to refer you to an agency that can work with you. During your agency interview, find out the earliest date you can begin the background check process. If you wait until September, you may be twiddling your thumbs for weeks until the background check is completed, resulting in having to make up missed days later in the semester!

In addition, if you do have a felony or misdemeanor conviction that will turn up on a background check, we advise you to discuss this with the interviewer. If the conviction automatically precludes you from a placement, discussing it in advance will save you and the agency time and money. I am available to talk with you about effective ways to approach the subject with an interviewer.

Job Conversions/Job Related Placement

If you have been employed at an agency for at least one year, and your agency is willing to allow you to assume new duties three days per week that are significantly different from your current duties, and you will have a different supervisor who has a MSW or LCSW, and the new duties are consistent with second year field objectives, you may be eligible for a job conversion.

If you want to apply for a job conversion, there will be a place on your field application where you can indicate this. In addition to completing the field application, you will need to complete the job conversion application or job related placement application which can be downloaded from our website: The deadline for all JC/JR applications is Friday, April 15, 2011.

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Other Ways for Your Job to Become Your Placement

Sometimes students obtain social work positions just before their second year starts. These new positions may qualify as field placements. If you think this situation applies to you, contact me immediately.

Title IV-E Students

All second year Title IV-E placements must occur in CountyCPS agencies or State Adoptions. On your field application, specify which county and CPS unit(s) you are most interested in. Title IV-E students are required to consult with their faculty field liaison to determine the most educationally appropriate field choice for the second year. For example, if you had a placement this year in a County Adoptions Unit, it would be educationally appropriate for you to choose placement that did not focus on adoptions.

Mental Health Stipend Students

If you are selected to receive a mental health stipend, you are required to be placed in a mental health placement that is funded through county mental health funds. These placements will be identified on the available placement list. Do not list any other placements as a preference. I can only refer you to stipend-eligible placements.

Field Liability Insurance

A professional liability insurance fee of $20 will be assessed to your MySacState account after the fall census date.

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