Volume_4_Issue_5_Digest

TPC D igest 77 Kelly Duncan, NCC, is an associate professor at the University of South Dakota. Kathleen Brown- Rice, NCC, and Gerta Bardhoshi, NCC, are assistant professors at the University of South Dakota. Correspondence can be addressed to Kelly Duncan, Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education, The University of South Dakota, 414 E. Clark Street, Vermillion, SD 57069, Kelly.Duncan@usd.edu . S chool counselors working in rural communities are often the only mental health provider in their community. In addition to coping with the challenges inherent in their work, these counselors may lack access to other professionals to meet supervision needs. The purpose of the current study was twofold. First, the authors sought to assess the current perceptions of Midwestern rural certified school counselors (RCSCs) regarding their clinical supervision experience and needs. Second, the authors compared and contrasted the current data with empirical data obtained 9 years ago in this same state from RCSCs to examine whether the supervision needs of counselors in rural settings had changed. The population utilized for this study included all certified school counselors in the state of South Dakota employed in a rural public or private school setting during the 2011–2012 school year. A total of 127 RCSCs responded to the invitation to take part in this study, resulting in a response rate of 27%. Seventy-nine percent ( n = 93) of participants rated the importance of obtaining clinical supervision (to enhance professional skills and ethical competency) as important to extremely important. When asked about the importance of obtaining administrative supervision (to increase knowledge of school policies and procedures), 72% ( n = 85) rated it as important to extremely important. The majority of participants reported not currently receiving clinical supervision, administrative supervision or peer supervision. Fifty-four percent ( n = 64) rated the importance of receiving clinical supervision in the future as important to extremely important. When respondents were asked whom they considered the most desirable person to be their clinical supervisor, 64% ( n = 75) cited another school counselor with specific training in supervision. Sixty-seven percent ( n = 79) Perceptions of the Importance and Utilization of Clinical Supervision Among Certified Rural School Counselors – DIGEST Kelly Duncan Kathleen Brown-Rice Gerta Bardhoshi