Serving the Graduate Psychology Community since 2003

  • Executive Committee Leaders
    Contact us to know more about how to get involved!
  • Join us for our events.
    See our calendar for meetings and CE/CEU events!
  • Bringing a Sense of Community
    We are dedicated to the training community and are here to help with the externship process.
  • ACEPT Conference
    2020 Conference details to be announced.
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Welcome to ACEPT!

The Association of Chicagoland Externship and Practicum Training Sites (ACEPT) was formed in November 2003 by psychology graduate programs and training sites seeking to improve the structure and ethical standards of the practicum application process for graduate students. The graduate programs and training sites that have agreed to adhere to the following standards have committed themselves to abiding not only to the letter of the guidelines, but also the spirit as well.


ACEPT promotes ethical and respectful conduct throughout the practicum application process. Constructed in an atmosphere of mutual collaboration between schools, sites, and students, these guidelines clarify the responsibilities and roles of all parties, specify acceptable and unacceptable conduct, and promote professional courtesy.

Unfortunately, the Annual ACEPT Conference scheduled for May 15, 2020 has been cancelled due to COVID-19 safety guidelines.  We look forward to seeing you at the conference in May 2021.  Please be safe, healthy, and well.  

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Virtual Discussion Forum Re: COVID-19

Looking for colleagues to discuss training-related questions locally?

Trying to plan for the next academic year in the midst of great uncertainty?

Join us for the ACEPT COVID-19 Virtual Forum: An Opportunity for Training Professionals to come together
Friday, June 19th, 1:00-2:30 pm  

ACEPT would like to offer a Virtual Forum via Zoom for ACEPT Members to discuss training-related concerns in the midst of COVID-19.  We are aware that many of us have had questions and concerns during this unprecedented time in history and we all have had to adapt to these changes professionally (and personally). This forum will involve an opportunity to consult with others and get ideas as well as provide feedback. We would like to have smaller virtual breakout forums for Academic Training Directors as well as Site Training Directors to consult with each other on common themes. We also hope to have conversations across these roles. The end goal would be to help our students in training as they also navigate this challenging time.

We would like to first know whether or not you would be interested in such a forum. If there is enough interest, we will proceed with this plan and may be able to offer more than one forum as things are changing frequently during this pandemic.

Your opinion is important to us! Please click on the link below to complete the 5-minute survey.


Thank you in advance for your participation and feedback!

Thank you to all who joined us at the 2019 Practicum Fair!


We very much hope you enjoyed meeting others in the community, prospective trainees, and learning more about our field in the CE presentation.  We appreciate everyone's attendance and support, but we always strive to make this event better.  To give us feedback on this event please click here if you attended as a site, and click here if you attended as a student.  

ACEPT membership benefits your training programs in a number of ways.  A one-year membership as a clinical training site includes a table for your site at the Annual Practicum Fair to network with sites and meet prospective applicants; quarterly meetings with CE/U speakers and events pertinent to clinical training; a forum to discuss and problem solve issues related to training; a venue to network with training directors and supervisors from the schools and clinical sites; and use of the ACEPT website and google group to post information and advertise services. 


ACEPT provides guidelines around the practicum match process; supports students, graduate programs, and sites in this process; and promotes a welcoming training community emphasizing togetherness and belonging.  ACEPT does not oversee the appropriateness of sites for students or graduate programs.  For more information, please visit our Membership Tab above.  


Questions about membership may be directed to ACEPT Secretary listed under Executive Committee. Member registration form and schedule of dues are listed above in Membership Renewal.

The ACEPT 8th Annual Conference has been cancelled; however, we are hoping to have the following schedule and presentations in May 2021.  

Agenda:
8:15 - 8:45am: Check in and refreshments
9 - 12:15pm: 3 credit CE/CEU Presentation on Ethics (title TBA)
12:15 - 1:15pm: Lunch and Student Poster Presentations
1:15 - 1:30pm: Poster Presentation Winner announcement/Conference Closing
1:30 - 2:30pm: ACEPT General Meeting

Location:
Loyola University, Water Tower Campus
111 E. Pearson St.
Chicago, IL 60611

Presenter Information:

Keith Baird, PhD. ABPP and Licensed Clinical Psychologist

President, Heritage Professional Associates

Fellow, the Academy of Clinical Psychology and the Illinois Psychological Association

Former Member & Chair, Ethics Committee, Illinois Psychological Association


William Carroll, JD & PhD, and Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Professor, John Marshall Law School (retired)

Former Member, APA Committee on Legal Issues

Former Legal/Clinical Consultant, Ethics Committee, Illinois Psychological Association


William Gorman, PhD. ABPP and Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Staff Psychologist, Heartland  Alliance / Marjorie Kovler Center

Clinical Associate Professor, Depts. of Psychology & Psychiatry (retired), and 

Clinical & Training Director, Counseling Center, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago (retired)

Former Member & Chair, Ethics Committee, Illinois Psychological Association


Save the Dates

When we can we do our best to offer two sites for our meeting dates in order to accommodate our community's work locations and schedules.  All meetings with two locations have web-meeting capabilities.  

2019-2020 Meeting Dates


- August 2 - 

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology (we are in need of a site in the suburbs as a satellite meeting site - feel free to volunteer!)


- November 8 - 
South Campus Therapeutic Day School in Palatine and Center on Halsted

- December 6 - 
PRACTICUM FAIR at Roosevelt University

- February 7 - 
DePaul University and Midwestern University

- May 15 - 
ACEPT CONFERENCE at Loyola University in Chicago


2019-2020 Practicum Guideline Dates


-Friday, January 31, 2020-

First day students can send out applications


-Monday, March 2, 2020-

Date by which students should be notified of interview status


-Friday, March 13, 2020-

Pre-Notification Day


-Monday, March 16, 2020-

Notification Day


-Wednesday, March 18, 2020- 

Clearinghouse Process Begins

Match/Directory Committee Recommendations

The Match/Directory Committee compiled the feedback from the ACEPT community about the potential to develop a practicum, match process and/or a universal site directory, and discussed the benefits and drawbacks of both options. See the committee's recommendations below:


Match/Directory Committee Recommendation to the ACEPT Executive Committee

 



ACEPT Application Guidelines  Dates 

 

Renew your membership for 2017-18 here