Supervision is taken very seriously. Time will be scheduled to ensure supervision is provided on a consistent, timely basis. Interns can expect to receive the minimum number of the hours of supervision as stipulated by NPTC. Supervision is a two-way street, a collaborative relationship between individuals who learn from each other.  Being prepared to ask questions, express concerns, sharing of successes, reviewing cases, discussing theories, address ethical elements of providing counseling, and other issues relevant to counseling are all potential “grist”  for the supervision “mill”. Supervision is not therapy. But, individual issues and personal concerns that may impact the delivery of counseling services are also important elements of supervision. Interns are encouraged to be assertive, to be invested in the process, and to expect the supervisor to be responsible and responsive colleagues who are part of a team. 

The area for which the Clark Center serves as a CCBHC consists of three rural counties in southwest Missouri. The population of the largest community in the three county area is approximately 9,000 residents. The population of one of the counties served is essentially the same as that of the largest town in our service area, making it very rural with a great deal of open farmland. With fewer than 85,000 individuals living in a three county area, population density is very low.

The median household income in the three counties is approximately $40,000 per year with nearly 20% of the population living in poverty. Even in the largest community in the three counties where there is a relatively high percentage of white-collar jobs, over 60% of school students receive free or reduced lunches. Even though there are many families struggling with low incomes, the rate of street homelessness is very low; this is attributed to friends and families being willing to house individuals.

Due to serving a largely low-income area, the Clark Center has not and will not turn away individuals with moderate to severe needs based upon an inability to pay. All regardless of socio-economic status who enter through our Open Access model for screening receive a free screening; no pay source is billed for the service. In order to meet the needs of those who have inability to pay, we attempt to utilize the services of interns and we are an NHSC site where professionals can benefit from loan repayment if they work at a facility that utilizes an approved sliding fee scale.

The area largely consists of white residents with approximately 90% of the population being white. With that being said, there is a growing Hispanic community in two of the counties. In those counties, it is not uncommon for 30% of the students in the school classroom to have Hispanic ethnicity and it is estimated that approximately 7% of those older than five years old speak a language other than English in the home. Though a relatively small number from this community are seeking services, the agency hires at present three bilingual staff to assist individuals who might have a language barrier which would otherwise prevent treatment.

Melissa Ussery, Psy.D.

Dr. Ussery earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in Clinical Psychology from Forest Institute in Springfield, Missouri. Before joining the Clark Center, Dr. Ussery served as the Director of Mental Health Services for the Greene County Sheriff’s office, the largest sheriff’s office in the State with the third largest jail in the State of Missouri. She often has been called on to serve as a forensic expert regarding in-custody deaths as well as jail policies and procedures. Dr. Ussery meets with each intern individually, on a weekly basis, with an emphasis on clinical skills and professional development. She also enjoys conducting co-therapy with interns. Her approach to supervision is relational and interpersonal. She aspires to identify “growth edges” with interns and helps them find a healthy balance between personal life and work life.

Holly Henderson, MA, LPC

Holly earned her master’s degree in Counseling from AGTS in Springfield, Missouri. She currently serves as the Outpatient Counseling Director for Clark Center. She is a Trauma Informed Care trainer, a Crisis Team member, and a Zero Suicide committee member. She is trained in EMDR therapy, in addition to more traditional modalities. She also has experience with children and families, including work as a school-based therapist in rural Missouri. Rather than engaging in clinical supervision with interns, Holly’s role with the internship program is predominantly administrative, as she oversees the daily operations of Clark Center’s multiple outpatient counseling clinics spread across a three-county region of southwest Missouri.

All employees of the Clark Center are required to pass a drug screen and pass a background check before starting employment. Individuals taking medications that may cause a positive screen must be able to produce a valid prescription.

Background checks may prevent employment if the record shows activities disallowed by the DMH. Individuals taking medications that may cause a positive screen (stimulants, benzodiazepines, opiates) must be able to produce a valid prescription.

The Clark Center maintains a zero-tolerance policy against recreational marijuana use. Applicants without a valid medical card who test positive for marijuana will not be considered for employment.

Interviews are conducted virtually by a team of supervising psychologists, which has historically been hosted on Zoom or Teams. Clark Center sets aside a number of days for interviews, which are scheduled on the hour. The duration of each interview is kept to 45 minutes, which allows the interview panel enough time to discuss, break, and regroup for the next interview. Specific details regarding interview dates and schedules will be shared as needed.

The intern selection process at Clark Center is a highly collaborative undertaking that involves a team of managers and supervisors throughout the process. Each application is reviewed by the site training director, all secondary supervisors, and the outpatient counseling director. Applications are evaluated on a number of factors, including but not limited to therapy experience, psychological testing experience, client contact hours, appeal of the cover letter, strength of essays, report writing ability, diversity of training experiences, academic performance, reference letters, resume quality, career aspirations, and overall goodness of fit with Clark Center. Over multiple consultations and meetings, our team arrives at a consensus of the candidates who are most promising, who then receive invitations to interview.

Rather than we as supervisors developing a cliché list of “what makes an intern a good fit at Clark Center,” we decided to pass this question along to current and past Clark Center interns. Below is a list of what they have shared over the last few years:

Clark Center complies with The Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in regard to COVID rules and regulations.